
J. D. Poindexter, Space Science Education specialist, gives a demonstration at McAdams Elementary School.

J. D. Poindexter, Space Science Education specialist, gives a demonstration at McAdams Elementary School.

J. D. Poindexter, Space Science Education specialist, gives a demonstration at McAdams Elementary School.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft, a civil variant of General Atomics' Predator B, lifts off from Grey Butte airfield in Southern California.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft, a civil variant of General Atomics' Predator B, lifts off from Grey Butte airfield in Southern California.

After arriving via a ferry flight on June 23, 2007, NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft is towed to a hangar at its new home, the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft over Southern California's high desert during the ferry flight to its new home at the Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at DFRC at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 23, 2007.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft in flight during the ferry flight to its new home at the Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at the NASA center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 23, 2007.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft prepares for landing as it arrives at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at its new home at NASA's Dryden Flight Reseach Center at Edwards AFB, on June 23, 2007.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft over the U.S. Borax mine, Boron, California, near the Dryden/Edwards Air Force Base complex. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., on June 23, 2007.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft over the U.S. Borax mine, Boron, California, near the Dryden/Edwards Air Force Base complex. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at the NASA center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 23, 2007.

Flight Test in the Roverscape (N-269) at NASA's Ames Research Center, the project team tests the DJI Matrice 600 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipped with a radio tracking receiver to study the invasive asian carp in the Mississippi River. Rick, Kolyer, Jonas Jonsson, Ethan, Pinsker, Bob Dahlgren.

Flight Test in the Roverscape (N-269) at NASA's Ames Research Center, the project team tests the DJI Matrice 600 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipped with a radio tracking receiver to study the invasive asian carp in the Mississippi River.

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft, a civil variant of General Atomics' Predator B, on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base after its ferry flight to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA took possession of the new aircraft in November, 2006, and it arrived at the NASA center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 23, 2007.

Flight Test in the Roverscape (N-269) at NASA's Ames Research Center, the project team tests the DJI Matrice 600 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipped with a radio tracking receiver to study the invasive asian carp in the Mississippi River.

ISS006-E-26940 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26919 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26946 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26840 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26864 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26911 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26857 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26867 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26891 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26920 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26927 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26865 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26850 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26908 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26854 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-26884 (16 February 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-18446 (19 January 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Food coloring has been added to the water for demonstration purposes only. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

AS17-162-24063 (7-19 Dec. 1972) --- A close-up view of the equipment used for the Heat Flow and Convection Experiment, an engineering and operational test and demonstration carried out aboard the Apollo 17 command module during the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program. Three test cells were used in the demonstration for measuring and observing fluid flow behavior in the absence of gravity in space flight. Data obtained from such demonstrations will be valuable in the design of future science experiments and for manufacturing processes in space.

ISS006-E-18431 (19 January 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Food coloring has been added to the water for demonstration purposes only. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-18432 (19 January 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Food coloring has been added to the water for demonstration purposes only. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS006-E-18405 (19 January 2003) --- View of surface tension demonstration using water that is being held in place by a metal loop. Food coloring has been added to the water for demonstration purposes only. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, photographed these demonstrations for educational purposes. The experiment took place in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

Students assemble balloon race cars and Alka-Seltzer film canister rockets to demonstrate Newton's third Law of motion at the NASA Science Gallery at Union Station, Monday, April 22, 2013 in Washington. The NASA Science Gallery exhibits are being sponsored by NASA in honor of Earth Day. (Photo Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi)

S73-34172 (August 1973) --- Scientist-astronaut Owen K. Garriott, Skylab 3 science pilot, watches a drink container spinning and tumbling in zero-gravity during a science demonstration television transmission from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Garriott is in the Orbital Workshop (OWS). Photo credit: NASA

Angela Garcia, Artemis II science officer and exploration geologist, demonstrates how to use a rock hammer and chisel to dislodge a rock sample from a large boulder during the Artemis II field geology training in Iceland.

Students are wrapped in a cloud from a demonstration by NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement event with Center of Science and Industry at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

iss068e029618 (Dec. 14, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann swaps samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for a space physics study demonstrating a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity.

SL4-150-5074 (February 1974) --- Scientist-astronaut Edward G. Gibson, science pilot for the Skylab 4 mission, demonstrates the effects of zero-gravity as he sails through airlock module hatch. Photo credit: NASA

iss071e403564 (July 22, 2024) --- (From left) NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Mike Barratt, both Expedition 71 Flight Engineers, install the NanoRacks external platform inside the Kibo laboratory module's airlock. The platform from NanoRacks can host a variety of payloads placed outside the International Space Station and exposed to the external space environment for science experiments, technology demonstrations, and more.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft (right) is ready for mating with the upper stage (behind it) in preparation for launch on the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a worker prepares the second and third stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle for mating. The Pegasus XL will launch the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Corky Philyaw (left) and Edgar Suarez (right) prepare the flight battery for installation on the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft (far left). DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. It is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station. DART will be launched from an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket no earlier than Oct. 26.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers begin closing the gap between the second and third stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle that will launch the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The solar array on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project soaks up the sunlight during a rover demonstration for media representatives in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers maneuver the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft and mated upper stage toward the second stage behind them in preparation or launch aboard the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. Pegasus will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. Built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation, DART was designed as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers maneuver the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft, suspended by a crane, over the upper stage in preparation for launch on the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. Built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation, DART was designed as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers begin mating the second and third stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle that will launch the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft (in background) has been rotated from vertical to horizontal and is ready for mating with the upper stage (foreground). DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers stand by while an overhead crane moves the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft onto the mobile stand at right. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft is ready for mating with the upper stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL behind it (right). DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers maneuver the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft and mated upper stage toward the second stage at right in preparation or launch aboard the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. Pegasus will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. Built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation, DART was designed as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers prepare the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft for launch. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers prepare to mate the second and third stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle that will launch the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers help guide the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft onto the mobile stand below. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft (right) is ready for mating with the upper stage (foreground) in preparation for launch on the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The Pegasus XL will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft (foreground) is ready to be mated to second and third stages in preparation for the launch aboard the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. Pegasus will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. Built for NASA by Orbital Sciences Corporation, DART was designed as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. DART weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. DART is designed to demonstrate technologies required for a spacecraft to locate and rendezvous, or maneuver close to, other craft in space. Results from the DART mission will aid in the development of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle and will also assist in vehicle development for crew transfer and crew rescue capability to and from the International Space Station.

Dr. Donald Gilles, the Discipline Scientist for Materials Science in NASA's Microgravity Materials Science and Applications Department, demonstrates to Carl Dohrman a model of dendrites, the branch-like structures found in many metals and alloys. Dohrman was recently selected by the American Society for Metals International as their 1999 ASM International Foundation National Merit Scholar. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign freshman recently toured NASA's materials science facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In preparation for launch, Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians at Vandenberg AFB in California check the placement of the first fairing half around the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. The fairing will encapsulate DART and protect it while on the launch pad and during ascent. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians complete attachment of the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft and Orbital Sciences Pegasus launch vehicle, to the Stargazer L-1011 aircraft above. The Pegasus XL will launch DART at approximately 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians get ready to attach the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft and Orbital Sciences Pegasus launch vehicle, mated earlier, to the Stargazer L-1011 aircraft above. The Pegasus XL will launch DART at approximately 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Stargazer L-1011 aircraft is ready for flight with the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft and Orbital Sciences Pegasus launch vehicle attached underneath. The Pegasus XL will launch DART at approximately 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians at Vandenberg AFB in California finish installation of the fairing around the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft in preparation for launch. The fairing will encapsulate DART and protect it while on the launch pad and during ascent. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In preparation for launch, Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians at Vandenberg AFB in California get ready to place the first fairing half around the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft. The fairing will encapsulate DART and protect it while on the launch pad and during ascent. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) is mated to the belly of the Orbital Sciences Corporation Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) is encapsulated and ready to be moved to the runway where it will be attached to the Orbital Sciences Corporation Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbital Sciences Corporation technicians at Vandenberg AFB in California maneuver the second fairing half into place around the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft in preparation for launch. The fairing will encapsulate DART and protect it while on the launch pad and during ascent. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) is mated to the belly of the Orbital Sciences Corporation Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. DART was designed and built for NASA by Orbital Sciences as an advanced flight demonstrator to locate and maneuver near an orbiting satellite. The DART spacecraft weighs about 800 pounds and is nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet in diameter. From beneath the belly of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, the Pegasus XL vehicle will launch DART into a circular polar orbit of approximately 475 miles. The DART satellite provides a key step in establishing autonomous rendezvous capabilities for the U.S. Space Program. While previous rendezvous and docking efforts have been piloted by astronauts, the unmanned DART satellite will have computers and cameras to perform its rendezvous functions.

jsc2024e041790 (3/20/2024) --- Developed through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement Next Gen STEM Project, STEMonstrations are short educational videos that demonstrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. Crew members conduct and film the demonstrations. The International Space Station flyaround is seen as well as NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps (Expedition 71).

Researchers at Marshall's Space Science Laboratory successfully demonstrate that linear arrays of Hall probes can be constructed in high Hall coefficient films and used to digitally image magnetic fields. This research is beneficial to visually imaging any magnetic field.

Jeffrey Richards, project science coordinator and research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, demonstrates how Arabidopsis thaliana plant samples are tested in a 2D microgravity simulator in the Microgravity Simulation Support Facility on Dec. 20, 2018.

iss065e033974 (May 12, 2021) --- ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet gathers hardware inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory module to demonstrate a simple heat transfer experiment as part of the Story Time from Space science program for kids.

iss068e029599 (Dec. 14, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann exchanges samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation. The space physics study demonstrates a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity using a micro-structured surface.

iss053e210425 (Nov. 7, 2017) --- Flight Engineer Joe Acaba holds a children's book that he is reading from as part of the Story Time From Space program. Astronauts read aloud from a STEM-related children's book while being videotaped and demonstrate simple science concepts and experiments aboard the International Space Station.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh look on as Goddard employees demonstrate “Science on a Sphere.” This system, developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), uses computers and four video projectors to display animated images on the outside of a 6-foot diameter sphere. Photo Credit: (NASA/Pat Izzo)

iss068e024574 (Nov. 26, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio works in the Microgravity Science Glovebox setting up hardware for the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation. The space physics study demonstrates a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity using a micro-structured surface.

iss068e037083 (Jan. 4, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Josh Cassada swaps samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation. The space physics study demonstrates a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity using a micro-structured surface.

NASA Heliophysics Science Division Instrument Systems Engineer Patrick Haas, right, demonstrates heliophysics activities during a teacher professional development event hosted by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) at the Dallas Arboretum, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)

iss068e036994 (Jan. 4, 2023) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Josh Cassada conducts research operations inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation. The space physics study demonstrates a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity using a micro-structured surface.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli engages with students during a science demonstration at Catherine Watkins Elementary School Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 in Washington. O’Hara and Moghbeli spent six months in space as part of Expedition 70 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)

NASA Heliophysics Science Division Instrument Systems Engineer Patrick Haas, left, demonstrates heliophysics activities during a teacher professional development event hosted by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) at the Dallas Arboretum, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)

iss068e028262 (Dec. 9, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio exchanges samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation. The space physics study demonstrates a passive cooling system for electronic devices in microgravity using a micro-structured surface.

Marshall Space Flight Center employees visited DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. NASA's Mini Drop Tower was used to demonstrate free fall and a presentation was given on microgravity and the science performed in a microgravity environment. The visit coincided with the Pan-Pacific Basin Workshop on Microgravity Sciences held in Pasadena, California. Students experiment with the mini-drop tower. This image is from a digital still camera; higher resolution is not available.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and Lisa Carnell, director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division are seen during an Earth-to-space call with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Nelson and Carnell spoke with Expedition 70 crew members Andreas Mogenson of ESA, Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA about recent science research and technology demonstrations aboard the orbiting laboratory. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and Lisa Carnell, director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division are seen during an Earth-to-space call with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Nelson and Carnell spoke with Expedition 70 crew members Andreas Mogenson of ESA, Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA about recent science research and technology demonstrations aboard the orbiting laboratory. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

iss048e057073 (8/12/2016) --- A view of Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) installed on ExPRESS (Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station) Logistics Carrier-1 (ELC-1). The Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) aims to demonstrate optical communications technology. This is accomplished by transferring a video from hardware onboard the ISS to our ground receiver at JPL’s Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) in Wrightwood, California.

Center of Science and Industry (COSI) Chief Strategy Officer Stephen White, joined by Principal MScott Berkowitz, left, and NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, second from left, displays a piece of dry ice to students during a science demonstration at Catherine Watkins Elementary School Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 in Washington. O’Hara and Moghbeli spent six months in space as part of Expedition 70 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)

Marshall Space Flight Center employees visited DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. NASA's Mini Drop Tower was used to demonstrate free fall and a presentation was given on microgravity and the science performed in a microgravity environment. The visit coincided with the Pan-Pacific Basin Workshop on Microgravity Sciences held in Pasadena, California. Students watch the playback of video from the mini-drop tower. This image is from a digital still camera; higher resolution is not available.

ISS008-E-21999 (22 April 2004) --- Astronaut C. Michael Foale (foreground), Expedition 8 commander and NASA ISS science officer, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands work with the HEAT experiment in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS). The main aim of the HEAT technology demonstration is the characterization of the heat transfer performance of a grooved heat pipe in weightlessness.

iss048e052292 (8/6/2016) --- A view of Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) installed on ExPRESS (Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station) Logistics Carrier-1 (ELC-1). The Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) aims to demonstrate optical communications technology. This is accomplished by transferring a video from hardware onboard the ISS to our ground receiver at JPL’s Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) in Wrightwood, California.

Marshall Space Flight Center employees visited DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. NASA's Mini Drop Tower was used to demonstrate free fall and a presentation was given on microgravity and the science performed in a microgravity environment. The visit coincided with the Pan-Pacific Basin Workshop on Microgravity Sciences held in Pasadena, California. Materials engineer Chris Cochrane explains the operation of the mini-drop tower. This image is from a digital still camera; higher resolution is not available.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and Lisa Carnell, director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division are seen during an Earth-to-space call with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Nelson and Carnell spoke with Expedition 70 crew members Andreas Mogenson of ESA, Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA about recent science research and technology demonstrations aboard the orbiting laboratory. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Marshall Space Flight Center employees visited DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. NASA's Mini Drop Tower was used to demonstrate free fall and a presentation was given on microgravity and the science performed in a microgravity environment. The visit coincided with the Pan-Pacific Basin Workshop on Microgravity Sciences held in Pasadena, California. Materials engineer Chris Cochrane explains the operation of the mini-drop tower. This image is from a digital still camera; higher resolution is not available.

Bryon Maynard (left), an aerospace technologist for Propulsion Systems & Tech in Stennis' Engineering and Science Directorate, uses a 'pocket rocket' to demonstrate the concept of rocket propulsion as part of NASA's exhibit at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. Maynard is joined by Bradley Messer (right), chief of the Systems Engineering & Integration Division in Stennis' Engineering and Science Directorate, and a pair of exhibit visitors.