KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, an actuator is set up on a table for a 3D digital scan. There are two actuators per engine on the Shuttle, one for pitch motion and one for yaw motion. The Space Shuttle Main Engine hydraulic servoactuators are used to gimbal the main engine.

3/4 rear view with pilot Merriweather - 60 degrees bank angle. NE-2 degree of freedom simulator set-up for pitch and roll motion.

The aircraft in this 1953 photo of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) hangar at South Base of Edwards Air Force Base showed the wide range of research activities being undertaken. On the left side of the hangar are the three D-558-2 research aircraft. These were designed to test swept wings at supersonic speeds approaching Mach 2. The front D-558-2 is the third built (NACA 145/Navy 37975). It has been modified with a leading-edge chord extension. This was one of a number of wing modifications, using different configurations of slats and/or wing fences, to ease the airplane's tendency to pitch-up. NACA 145 had both a jet and a rocket engine. The middle aircraft is NACA 144 (Navy 37974), the second built. It was all-rocket powered, and Scott Crossfield made the first Mach 2 flight in this aircraft on November 20, 1953. The aircraft in the back is D-558-2 number 1. NACA 143 (Navy 37973) was also carried both a jet and a rocket engine in 1953. It had been used for the Douglas contractor flights, then was turned over to the NACA. The aircraft was not converted to all-rocket power until June 1954. It made only a single NACA flight before NACA's D-558-2 program ended in 1956. Beside the three D-558-2s is the third D-558-1. Unlike the supersonic D-558-2s, it was designed for flight research at transonic speeds, up to Mach 1. The D-558-1 was jet-powered, and took off from the ground. The D-558-1's handling was poor as it approached Mach 1. Given the designation NACA 142 (Navy 37972), it made a total of 78 research flights, with the last in June 1953. In the back of the hangar is the X-4 (Air Force 46-677). This was a Northrop-built research aircraft which tested a swept wing design without horizontal stabilizers. The aircraft proved unstable in flight at speeds above Mach 0.88. The aircraft showed combined pitching, rolling, and yawing motions, and the design was considered unsuitable. The aircraft, the second X-4 built, was then used as a pilot traine

This image shows the X-59 aircraft’s lower empennage structure, or tail section of the plane, that was installed. The stabilators, the outer surfaces also seen in the photo, attach to the lower empennage and are used to help regulate the aircraft pitch which controls the up and down movement of the motion of the plane. The 13-foot engine will pack 22,000 pounds of propulsion and energy and power the X-plane to its planned cruising speed of Mach 1.4. Once complete, the X-59 aircraft will demonstrate the ability to fly supersonic while reducing the loud sonic boom to a quiet sonic thump and help enable commercial supersonic air travel over land. This aircraft is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission.

ISS013-E-47629 (6 July 2006) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery's tail section is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 13 crewmember on the International Space Station during STS-121 R-Pitch Maneuver survey on Flight Day 3. Visible are the shuttle's main engines, vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, reaction control system (RCS) jets and a portion of payload bay door radiator and wings.

ISS027-E-032216 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) in space shuttle Endeavour’s payload bay was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The image was photographed with a digital still camera, using a 400mm lens at a distance of about 600 feet (180 meters).

ISS027-E-032065 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Endeavour was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS023-E-041581 (16 May 2010) --- This close-up view of the vertical stabilizer and orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods of the space shuttle Atlantis was provided by an Expedition 23 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Atlantis performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The image was photographed with a digital still camera, using a 400mm lens at a distance of about 600 feet (180 meters).

The nozzles for Discovery's three main engines are visible in this close-up image photographed by one of the Expedition 13 crew members onboard the International Space Station (ISS) during the STS-121 Rotating Pitch Maneuver (RPM) survey prior to docking of the two spacecraft. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has management responsibility for development of the space shuttle main engines (SSME).

ISS026-E-029824 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS026-E-029825 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS027-E-032063 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the crew cabin of space shuttle Endeavour was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS027-E-032089 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the space shuttle Endeavour’s three main engines was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

A close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery's tail section is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 13 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS) during the STS-121 Rotating Pitch Maneuver (RPM) survey. Visible are the space shuttle's main engines (SSME), vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods and a portion of the aft cargo bay and wings. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has management responsibility for development of the SSME.

ISS026-E-029826 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS026-E-029861 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS026-E-029828 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the crew cabin of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS023-E-041435 (16 May 2010) --- This close-up view of the nose of space shuttle Atlantis was provided by an Expedition 23 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Atlantis performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS018-E-040788 (17 March 2009) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery?s main engines was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 800 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS018-E-040837 (17 March 2009) --- A close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's nose and underside was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS027-E-032126 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the starboard side of space shuttle Endeavour’s crew cabin was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS026-E-029829 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the starboard side of the crew cabin of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

VIERA, Fla. – The public gets a close view of a full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle on display outside the Space Coast Stadium at the stadium’s Space Day. Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy also set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS023-E-041441 (16 May 2010) --- This close-up view of the crew cabin and forward portion of the payload bay of space shuttle Atlantis was provided by an Expedition 23 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Atlantis performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS018-E-040832 (17 March 2009) --- A close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's nose was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS026-E-029850 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the crew cabin and forward cargo bay of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS026-E-029827 (26 Feb. 2011) --- This close-up view of the port side of the crew cabin of space shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 26 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-133 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Discovery performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS018-E-040777 (17 March 2009) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery?s main engines was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 800 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS027-E-032085 (18 May 2011) --- This close-up view of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) in space shuttle Endeavour’s payload bay was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, Endeavour performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). The station crew member used a digital still camera with an 800mm focal length, as the two spacecraft were approximately 600 feet (180 meters) apart.

ISS016-E-032319 (12 March 2008) --- A close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Endeavour's nose, port wing and payload bay door was provided by Expedition 16 crewmembers on the International Space Station (ISS). Before docking with the station, astronaut Dominic Gorie, STS-123 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS018-E-040843 (17 March 2009) --- A close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's nose and underside was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

VIERA, Fla. – A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle displayed outside the Space Coast Stadium greets those attending the stadium’s Space Day. Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy also set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – A baseball fan takes the opportunity to pose with an inflatable astronaut set up outside the Space Coast Stadium for the stadium’s Space Day. Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – Baseball fans are on hand for Space Day at the Space Coast Stadium. Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – Third baseman Anthony Rendon, left, of major league baseball’s Washington Nationals offers NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana a pen to sign a baseball during a spring training game between the Nationals and the Houston Astros on Space Day at the Space Coast Stadium. Cabana threw the first pitch of the game. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – Bob Cabana, right, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, shows a baseball fan the ball he will use to make the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at the Space Coast Stadium’s Space Day. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS018-E-008638 (16 Nov. 2008) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Endeavour's tail section was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, vertical stabilizer, the payload bay door panels and the Leonard Multi-Purpose Logistics Module located in the cargo bay. Before docking with the station, astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-126 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

A dual rotor system for the next generation of Mars helicopters is tested in the 25-Foot Space Simulator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Sept.15, 2023. Over three weeks, the carbon-fiber blades were spun up at ever-higher speeds and greater pitch angles to see if they would remain intact as their tips approached supersonic speeds. Longer and stronger than those used on NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, the blades reached Mach 0.95 during the test. The simulator's vacuum chamber allows engineers to test spacecraft and components in conditions like those they would face on Mars. The inset at upper right shows the same test from the perspective of a second camera also located inside the chamber. Movie available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26079

ISS018-E-040628 (17 March 2009) --- An overhead close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's crew cabin, part of its payload bay and docking system was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 800 millimeter lens was used for this image.

VIERA, Fla. – NASA Kennedy Space Center’s “Spaceperson” signals that “all systems are go” for Space Day at the Space Coast Stadium. Bob Cabana, director of Kennedy, is on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy also set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle was on display outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – Bob Cabana, left, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, allows Kennedy’s “Spaceperson” to hold the ball he will use to make the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at the Space Coast Stadium’s Space Day. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS016-E-032317 (12 March 2008) --- A close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Endeavour's crew cabin, starboard wing and payload bay door was provided by Expedition 16 crewmembers on the International Space Station (ISS). Before docking with the station, astronaut Dominic Gorie, STS-123 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS018-E-008640 (16 Nov. 2008) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Endeavour's tail section was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, vertical stabilizer, the payload bay door panels and the Leonard Multi-Purpose Logistics Module located in the cargo bay. Before docking with the station, astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-126 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

VIERA, Fla. – Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, throws the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros on Space Day at the Space Coast Stadium. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was located outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS016-E-032429 (12 March 2008) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Endeavour's tail section was provided by Expedition 16 crewmembers on the International Space Station (ISS). The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, a portion of the payload bay door panels and the shuttle's wings. Before docking with the station, astronaut Dominic Gorie, STS-123 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Endeavour's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS017-E-008669 (2 June 2008) --- A close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery's tail section was provided by Expedition 17 crewmembers on the International Space Station (ISS). The image provides partial views of the shuttle's main engines, orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, vertical stabilizer, the payload bay door panels and the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory, the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM) located in the cargo bay. Before docking with the station, astronaut Mark Kelly, STS-124 commander, flew the shuttle through a roll pitch maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

ISS018-E-040794 (17 March 2009) --- An overhead close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's crew cabin, part of its payload bay and docking system was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

VIERA, Fla. – Baseball fans take the opportunity to pose with NASA Kennedy Space Center’s “Spaceperson” on Space Day at the Space Coast Stadium. Bob Cabana, director of Kennedy, was on hand to throw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Kennedy also set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle was on display outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, consults with third baseman Anthony Rendon of Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals prior to Cabana’s throwing the first pitch of a spring training game between the Nationals and the Houston Astros at the Space Coast Stadium’s Space Day. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was on display outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS018-E-040810 (17 March 2009) --- An overhead close-up view of the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery's crew cabin, part of its payload bay and docking system was provided by Expedition 18 crewmembers on the International Space Station. Before docking with the station, astronaut Lee Archambault, STS-119 commander, flew the shuttle through a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver or basically a backflip to allow the space station crew a good view of Discovery's heat shield. Using digital still cameras equipped with both 400 and 800 millimeter lenses, the ISS crewmembers took a number of photos of the shuttle's thermal protection system and sent them down to teams on the ground for analysis. A 400 millimeter lens was used for this image.

VIERA, Fla. – Space Exploration Technologies’ Christen Brown, left, presents NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana with a model of the company’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft at the Space Coast Stadium’s Space Day. Known as SpaceX, the company is one of NASA’s commercial partners. Cabana threw the first pitch of a spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and Houston Astros. Kennedy set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle also was on display outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIERA, Fla. – NASA Kennedy Space Center’s “Spaceperson” hangs out with baseball fans at the Space Coast Stadium’s Space Day. From left are Shannon Comerford, spring training coordinator for the Washington Nationals, Kelvin Manning, Kennedy associate director, Bob Cabana, Kennedy director, and Gretchen Dimmer, budget analyst in Kennedy’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Cabana was on hand to throw the first pitch of the spring training game between Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals and Houston Astros. Kennedy also set up a booth at the stadium for the occasion to highlight some of the contributions the space agency has made to sports, transportation and everyday life. A full-scale test version of NASA's new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle was on display outside the stadium to show the public the spacecraft under development that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

This series of images shows the asteroid P/2013 R3 breaking apart, as viewed by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 2013. This is the first time that such a body has been seen to undergo this kind of break-up. The Hubble observations showed that there are ten distinct objects, each with comet-like dust tails, embedded within the asteroid's dusty envelope. The four largest rocky fragments are up to 200 metres in radius, about twice the length of a football pitch. The date increases from left to right, with frames from 29 October 2013, 15 November 2013, 13 December 2013, and 14 January 2014 respectively, showing how the clumps of debris material move around. The 14 January 2014 frame was not included in the science paper and is additional data. Credit: NASA, ESA, D. Jewitt (UCLA) Read more: <a href="http://1.usa.gov/1ig2E0x" rel="nofollow">1.usa.gov/1ig2E0x</a> <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>

This is an artist's impression of how the very early universe (less than one billion years old) might have looked when it went through a voracious onset of star formation, converting primordial hydrogen into myriad stars at an unprecedented rate. The deepest views of the cosmos from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) yield clues that the very first stars may have burst into the universe as brilliantly and spectacularly as a firework finale. Except in this case, the finale came first, long before Earth, the Sun ,and the Milky Way Galaxy formed. Studies of HST's deepest views of the heavens lead to the preliminary conclusion that the universe made a significant portion of its stars in a torrential firestorm of star birth, which abruptly lit up the pitch-dark heavens just a few hundred million years after the "big bang," the tremendous explosion that created the cosmos. Within the starburst galaxies, bright knots of hot blue stars come and go like bursting fireworks shells. Regions of new starbirth glow intensely red under torrent of ultraviolet radiation. The most massive stars self-detonate as supernovas, which explode across the sky like a string of firecrackers. A foreground starburst galaxy at lower right is sculpted with hot bubbles from supernova explosions and torrential stellar winds. Unlike today there is very little dust in these galaxies, because the heavier elements have not yet been cooked up through nucleosynthesis in stars. Recent analysis of HST deep sky images supports the theory that the first stars in the universe appeared in an abrupt eruption of star formation, rather than at a gradual pace. Science Credit: NASA and K. Lanzetta (SUNY). Artwork Credit: Adolf Schaller for STScI.

In this NASA Flight Reserch Center photograph the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) number 1 is shown in flight. When Apollo planning was underway in 1960, NASA was looking for a simulator to profile the descent to the Moon's surface. Three concepts surfaced: an electronic simulator, a tethered device, and the ambitious Dryden contribution, a free-flying vehicle. All three became serious projects, but eventually the NASA Flight Research Center's (FRC) Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) became the most significant one. Hubert M. Drake is credited with originating the idea, while Donald Bellman and Gene Matranga were senior engineers on the project, with Bellman, the project manager. Simultaneously, and independently, Bell Aerosystems Company, Buffalo, N.Y., a company with experience in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, had conceived a similar free-flying simulator and proposed their concept to NASA headquarters. NASA Headquarters put FRC and Bell together to collaborate. The challenge was; to allow a pilot to make a vertical landing on Earth in a simulated Moon environment, one sixth of the Earth's gravity and with totally transparent aerodynamic forces in a "free flight" vehicle with no tether forces acting on it. Built of tubular aluminum like a giant four-legged bedstead, the vehicle was to simulate a lunar landing profile from around 1500 feet to the Moon's surface. To do this, the LLRV had a General Electric CF-700-2V turbofan engine mounted vertically in gimbals, with 4200 pounds of thrust. The engine, using JP-4 fuel, got the vehicle up to the test altitude and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two hydrogen-peroxide lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 pounds handled the LLRV's rate of descent and horizontal translations. Sixteen smaller hydrogen-peroxide rockets, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw, and roll. On the LLRV,

This 1964 NASA Flight Reserch Center photograph shows a ground engine test underway on the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) number 1. When Apollo planning was underway in 1960, NASA was looking for a simulator to profile the descent to the Moon's surface. Three concepts surfaced: an electronic simulator, a tethered device, and the ambitious Dryden contribution, a free-flying vehicle. All three became serious projects, but eventually the NASA Flight Research Center's (FRC) Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) became the most significant one. Hubert M. Drake is credited with originating the idea, while Donald Bellman and Gene Matranga were senior engineers on the project, with Bellman, the project manager. Simultaneously, and independently, Bell Aerosystems Company, Buffalo, N.Y., a company with experience in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, had conceived a similar free-flying simulator and proposed their concept to NASA headquarters. NASA Headquarters put FRC and Bell together to collaborate. The challenge was; to allow a pilot to make a vertical landing on Earth in a simulated Moon environment, one sixth of the Earth's gravity and with totally transparent aerodynamic forces in a "free flight" vehicle with no tether forces acting on it. Built of tubular aluminum like a giant four-legged bedstead, the vehicle was to simulate a lunar landing profile from around 1500 feet to the Moon's surface. To do this, the LLRV had a General Electric CF-700-2V turbofan engine mounted vertically in gimbals, with 4200 pounds of thrust. The engine, using JP-4 fuel, got the vehicle up to the test altitude and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two hydrogen-peroxide lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 pounds handled the LLRV's rate of descent and horizontal translations. Sixteen smaller hydrogen-peroxide rockets, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw,

In this 1967 NASA Flight Reserch Center photograph the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) is viewed from the front. This photograph provideds a good view of the pilot’s platform with the restrictive cockpit view like that of he real Lunar Module (LM) When Apollo planning was underway in 1960, NASA was looking for a simulator to profile the descent to the Moon's surface. Three concepts surfaced: an electronic simulator, a tethered device, and the ambitious Dryden contribution, a free-flying vehicle. All three became serious projects, but eventually the NASA Flight Research Center’s (FRC) Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) became the most significant one. After conceptual planning and meetings with engineers from Bell Aerosystems Company, Buffalo, N.Y., NASA FRC issued a $3.6 million production contract awarded in 1963, for delivery of the first of two vehicles for flight studies. Built of tubular aluminum alloy like a giant four-legged bedstead, the vehicle was to simulate a lunar landing profile from around 1500 feet to the Moon’s surface. The LLRV had a turbofan engine mounted vertically in a gimbal, with 4200 pounds of thrust. The engine, lifted the vehicle up to the test altitude and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, thus simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 pounds handled the LLRV's rate of descent and horizontal translations. Sixteen smaller rockets, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw, and roll.. The pilot’s platform extended forward between two legs while an electronics platform, similarly located, extended rearward. The pilot had a zero-zero ejection seat that would then lift him away to safety. The two LLRVs were shipped from Bell to the FRC in April 1964, with program emphasis on vehicle No. 1. The first flight, Oct. 30, 1964, NASA research pilot Joe Walker flew it three times for a total of just under 60 seconds

LLRV flight #1-16-61F with Bell 47 Helicopter providing chase support. The use of chase planes was a critical part of flight research well before the establishment of what was then called the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit in September 1947 (now the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center). They act as a second set of eyes for the research pilot, warning him of any problems. When test flights of the LLRV began in October 1964, chase support for the vehicle was supplied by a Bell 47 helicopter. It could hover close by, providing information such as altitude and descent rate. LLRV test operations were phased out in late 1966 and early 1967. When Apollo planning was underway in 1960, NASA was looking for a simulator to profile the descent to the Moon's surface. Three concepts surfaced: an electronic simulator, a tethered device, and the ambitious Dryden contribution, a free-flying vehicle. All three became serious projects, but eventually the NASA Flight Research Center’s (FRC) Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) became the most significant one. After conceptual planning and meetings with engineers from Bell Aerosystems Company, Buffalo, N.Y., NASA FRC issued a $3.6 million production contract awarded in 1963, for delivery of the first of two vehicles for flight studies. Built of tubular aluminum alloy like a giant four-legged bedstead, the vehicle was to simulate a lunar landing profile from around 1500 feet to the Moon’s surface. The LLRV had a turbofan engine mounted vertically in a gimbal, with 4200 pounds of thrust. The engine, lifted the vehicle up to the test altitude and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, thus simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 pounds handled the LLRV's rate of descent and horizontal translations. Sixteen smaller rockets, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw, and roll. The pilot’s platform extended forward between t

Multiple exposure of Gemini rendezvous docking simulator. Francis B. Smith wrote in his paper "Simulators for Manned Space Research," "The rendezvous and docking operation of the Gemini spacecraft with the Agena and of the Apollo Command Module with the Lunar Excursion Module have been the subject of simulator studies for several years. [This figure] illustrates the Gemini-Agena rendezvous docking simulator at Langley. The Gemini spacecraft was supported in a gimbal system by an overhead crane and gantry arrangement which provided 6 degrees of freedom - roll, pitch, yaw, and translation in any direction - all controllable by the astronaut in the spacecraft. Here again the controls fed into a computer which in turn provided an input to the servos driving the spacecraft so that it responded to control motions in a manner which accurately simulated the Gemini spacecraft." A.W. Vogeley further described the simulator in his paper "Discussion of Existing and Planned Simulators For Space Research," "Docking operations are considered to start when the pilot first can discern vehicle target size and aspect and terminate, of course, when soft contact is made. ... This facility enables simulation of the docking operation from a distance of 200 feet to actual contact with the target. A full-scale mock-up of the target vehicle is suspended near one end of the track. ... On [the Agena target] we have mounted the actual Agena docking mechanism and also various types of visual aids. We have been able to devise visual aids which have made it possible to accomplish nighttime docking with as much success as daytime docking." -- Published in Barton C. Hacker and James M. Grimwood, On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini, NASA SP-4203; Francis B. Smith, "Simulators for Manned Space Research," Paper presented at the 1966 IEEE International convention, March 21-25, 1966; A.W. Vogeley, "Discussion of Existing and Planned Simulators For Space Research," Paper presented at the Conference on the Role of Simulation in Space Technology, August 17-21, 1964.

Mechanical engineering and integration technician, Lucas Keim, directs the crane operator from inside the thermal vacuum chamber in support of OSAM-1 environmental testing operations at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Md., Nov 30, 2023. This photo has been reviewed by OSAM1 project management and the Export Control Office and is released for public view. NASA/Mike Guinto

In the center foreground of this 1953 hangar photo is the YF-84A (NACA 134/Air Force 45-59490) used for vortex generator research. It arrived on November 28, 1949, and departed on April 21, 1954. Beside it is the third D-558-1 aircraft (NACA 142/Navy 37972). This aircraft was used for a total of 78 transonic research flights from April 1949 to June 1954. It replaced the second D-558-1, lost in the crash which killed Howard Lilly. Just visible on the left edge is the nose of the first D-558-2 (NACA 143/Navy 37973). Douglas turned the aircraft over to NACA on August 31, 1951, after the contractor had completed its initial test flights. NACA only made a single flight with the aircraft, on September 17, 1956, before the program was cancelled. In the center of the photo is the B-47A (NACA 150/Air Force 49-1900). The B-47 jet bomber, with its thin, swept-back wings, and six podded engines, represented the state of the art in aircraft design in the early 1950s. The aircraft undertook a number of research activities between May 1953 and its 78th and final research flight on November 22, 1957. The tests showed that the aircraft had a buffeting problem at speeds above Mach 0.8. Among the pilots who flew the B-47 were later X-15 pilots Joe Walker, A. Scott Crossfield, John B. McKay, and Neil A. Armstrong. On the right side of the B-47 is NACA's X-1 (Air Force 46-063). The second XS-1 aircraft built, it was fitted with a thicker wing than that on the first aircraft, which had exceeded Mach 1 on October 14, 1947. Flight research by NACA pilots indicated that this thicker wing produced 30 percent more drag at transonic speeds compared to the thinner wing on the first X-1. After a final flight on October 23, 1951, the aircraft was grounded due to the possibility of fatigue failure of the nitrogen spheres used to pressurize the fuel tanks. At the time of this photo, in 1953, the aircraft was in storage. In 1955, the aircraft was extensively modified, becoming the X-1E. In front o

This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a variety of intriguing cosmic phenomena. Surrounded by bright stars, towards the upper middle of the frame we see a small young stellar object (YSO) known as SSTC2D J033038.2+303212. Located in the constellation of Perseus, this star is in the early stages of its life and is still forming into a fully-grown star. In this view from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys(ACS) it appears to have a murky chimney of material emanating outwards and downwards, framed by bright bursts of gas flowing from the star itself. This fledgling star is actually surrounded by a bright disk of material swirling around it as it forms — a disc that we see edge-on from our perspective. However, this small bright speck is dwarfed by its cosmic neighbor towards the bottom of the frame, a clump of bright, wispy gas swirling around as it appears to spew dark material out into space. The bright cloud is a reflection nebula known as [B77] 63, a cloud of interstellar gas that is reflecting light from the stars embedded within it. There are actually a number of bright stars within [B77] 63, most notably the emission-line star LkHA 326, and it nearby neighbor LZK 18. These stars are lighting up the surrounding gas and sculpting it into the wispy shape seen in this image. However, the most dramatic part of the image seems to be a dark stream of smoke piling outwards from [B77] 63 and its stars — a dark nebula called Dobashi 4173. Dark nebulae are incredibly dense clouds of pitch-dark material that obscure the patches of sky behind them, seemingly creating great rips and eerily empty chunks of sky. The stars speckled on top of this extreme blackness actually lie between us and Dobashi 4173. Credit: ESA/NASA <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>

Some of the most breathtaking views in the Universe are created by nebulae — hot, glowing clouds of gas. This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the centre of the Lagoon Nebula, an object with a deceptively tranquil name. The region is filled with intense winds from hot stars, churning funnels of gas, and energetic star formation, all embedded within an intricate haze of gas and pitch-dark dust. Nebulae are often named based on their key characteristics — particularly beautiful examples include the Ring Nebula (heic1310), the Horsehead Nebula (heic1307) and the Butterfly Nebula (heic0910). This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the centre of the Lagoon Nebula, otherwise known as Messier 8, in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer). The inspiration for this nebula’s name may not be immediately obvious — this is because the image captures only the very heart of the nebula. The Lagoon Nebula’s name becomes much clearer in a wider field view (opo0417i) when the broad, lagoon-shaped dust lane that crosses the glowing gas of the nebula can be made out. Another clear difference between this new image and others is that this image combines both infrared and optical light rather than being purely optical(heic1015). Infrared light cuts through thick, obscuring patches of dust and gas, revealing the more intricate structures underneath and producing a completely different landscape [1]. However, even in visible light, the tranquil name remains misleading as the region is packed full of violent phenomena. The bright star embedded in dark clouds at the centre of this image is known as Herschel 36. This star is responsible for sculpting the surrounding cloud, stripping away material and influencing its shape. Herschel 36 is the main source of ionising radiation [2] for this part of the Lagoon Nebula. This central part of the Lagoon Nebula contains two main structures of gas and dust connected by wispy twisters, visible in the middle third of this image (opo9638). These features are quite similar to their namesakes on Earth — they are thought to be wrapped up into their funnel-like shapes by temperature differences between the hot surface and cold interior of the clouds. The nebula is also actively forming new stars, and energetic winds from these newborns may contribute to creating the twisters. This image combines images taken using optical and infrared light gathered by Hubble’s Wide Field Planetary Camera 2. Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Trauger (Jet Propulson Laboratory) <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b> <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASAGoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b> <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b> <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>