This image captured by U.S.-Indian Earth satellite NISAR on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Washington’s Mount St. Helens. The image is cropped from a much larger swath spanning the Pacific Northwest on a cloudy day; NISAR’s L-band SAR instrument is able to peer through the clouds at the surface below.
In Pacific Northwest imagery from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission, some areas are dotted in magenta due to radar signals strongly reflecting off flat surfaces like roads and buildings, combined with the orientation of those surfaces relative to the satellite’s ground track. The yellow can be produced by a range of different factors, including land cover, moisture, and surface geometry. Yellow-green in the imagery generally indicates vegetation, such as the forests and wetlands covering the region.
Relatively smooth surfaces, including water and — as is most likely the case in this image — vegetation-free clearings on the mountaintop, appear dark blue. Near the foot of the mountain are patches of purple squares cut into the lighter green vegetation. Their precise right angles show that they’re clearly man-made; they’re likely the effect of forests being thinned or possibly vegetation growing back after having been thinned in the past.
A joint mission developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NISAR launched in July 2025 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast. Managed by Caltech, JPL leads the U.S. component of the project and provided the satellite’s L-band SAR and antenna reflector. ISRO provided NISAR’s spacecraft bus and its S-band SAR.
The NISAR satellite is the first to carry two SAR instruments at different wavelengths and will monitor Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, collecting data using the spacecraft’s giant drum-shaped reflector, which measures 39 feet (12 meters) wide — the largest radar antenna reflector NASA has ever sent into space. To learn more about NISAR, visit:
Listen to this audio excerpt from Michael Guzman, Artemis II main propulsion systems engineer:
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A clue to what Mike Guzman, main propulsion systems engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, loves most can be found in the signature of his work email: a complex string of equations for rocket thrust, specific impulse, and the physics behind cooling liquid oxygen with helium bubbles.
I'm a huge nerd. I love math, science, and physics. Even in my free time, I'll find myself watching physics lectures.
MiKE Guzman
Artemis II main propulsion systems engineer
Born in New York to a family from the Dominican Republic, Guzman moved to Florida where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Florida International University and a master’s degree in space systems from the Florida Institute of Technology. His path to NASA Kennedy began after being handpicked for a summer internship in 2013, an opportunity that would ultimately change the course of his career.
During his internship, Guzman was inspired to build his own rocket. He purchased a textbook and began building a model rocket in his free time. The drive and passion he put into the project did not go unnoticed. Just three days after the model rocket launched, he was offered a job and has worked for America’s space agency ever since.
Mike Guzman, main propulsion systems engineer, participates in a wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 at the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The wet dress rehearsal allows the Artemis II launch team to run through operations to load propellant, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice timelines and procedures for launch.
NASA/Kim Shiflett
Guzman began his work with a model rocket, and now, as part of Exploration Ground Systems, is part of the team launching the rocket that will carry astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years: the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for Artemis II.
Guzman joined the propulsion team in 2019. Early in his role, he focused on hydrogen systems at Launch Pad 39B, including the large liquid hydrogen sphere at the pad and the piping that delivers propellant to the rocket. Today, he works on the main propulsion system inside the rocket itself, a role that will put him in the firing room for the Artemis II test flight, at the center of launch operations.
From left, NASA astronauts Bob Hines and Stan Love talk with Mike Guzman, Artemis launch team member, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center during the Artemis II rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, March, 20, 2026.
NASA/Amber Jean Notvest
At the heart of Guzman’s work is the “brain book,” a comprehensive binder that contains every drawing, requirement, procedure, and launch commit criteria an engineer might need. It’s a roadmap for efficiency. By studying it in advance, Guzman and his colleagues know exactly where to find what they need and how to respond to unexpected issues.
The key to a successful launch relies on teamwork. On launch day, hundreds of engineers come together in the firing room to monitor every system on the spacecraft. Each console operator’s actions influence the others’, creating a constant interplay where observation, communication, and anticipation are key to mission success.
It has to be a team sport. We’re all sitting in different parts of a whole, that ‘one whole’ being the spacecraft. We all have to work together. We all must have a sense of what the other individuals are doing and what their roles are, because at the end of the day, it’s all interconnected.
MiKE Guzman
Artemis II main propulsion systems engineer
For Guzman, Artemis II represents the culmination of years of preparation, study, and collaboration.
“It’s not something that happens every day, and it’s not something that you get to be a part of every day,” Guzman said. “To see it finally happen, it’s going to be incredible.”
NASA’s crawler-transporter carries the powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft on the Mobile Launcher from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for the Artemis II mission on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit: NASA/Brandon Hancock
Before NASA sends its astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on their Artemis II mission around the Moon, the launch team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and teams across the country will begin counting down about two days before liftoff.
A launch countdown contains “L Minus” and “T Minus” times. The “L minus” indicates how far away liftoff is in hours and minutes. The “T minus” time is a sequence of events built into the launch countdown. Pauses in the countdown, or “holds,” are built in to allow the launch team to target a precise launch window, and to provide a cushion of time for certain tasks and procedures without impacting the overall schedule. During planned holds in the countdown process, the countdown clock is intentionally stopped and the T- time also stops. The L- time, however, continues to advance.
Below are some of the key events that take place at each milestone after the countdown begins.
All times are approximate for when these milestones occur.
L-49 hours 50 minutes and counting
L-49H50M – Launch team arrives to stations
L-49H40M – Countdown clock begins
L-49H40M – L-42H30M: Liquid oxygen (LOX)/Liquid hydrogen (LH2) system
preparations for vehicle loading
L-45H30M – L-44H: Orion spacecraft powered up
L-42H20M – L-41H: Core stage powered up
L-42H10M – L-40H30M: Interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) powered up
L-39H45M – L-35H30M: Final preparations of the four RS-25 engines
L-35 hours and counting
L-34H45M – L-34H10M: ICPS is powered down
L-33H30M – L-29H30M: Charge Orion flight batteries to 100%
L-25M – Transition team to Orion to Earth communication loop following final NTD briefing
L-17M – Launch director polls team to ensure they are “go” for launch
L-15M – Flight crew visors down
L-14M – Flight crew short purge verification
T-10 minutes and counting
T-10M – GLS initiates terminal count
T-8M – Crew Access Arm retract
T-6M – GLS go for core stage tank pressurization
T-6M – Orion ascent pyros are armed
T-6M – Orion set to internal power
T-5M57S – Core stage LH2 terminate replenish
T-5M20S – LAS capability is available
T-5M20S – NTD lets commander knows LAS capability is available
T-4M40S – GLS go for LH2 high flow bleed check
T-4M30S – Flight termination system armed
T-4M – GLS is go for core stage auxiliary power unit (APU) start
T-4M – Core Stage APU starts
T-4M – Core stage LOX terminate replenish
T-3M30S – ICPS LOX terminate replenish
T-3M10S – GLS go for purge sequence 4
T-2M02S – ICPS switches to internal battery power
T-2M – Booster switches to internal batter power
T-1M30S – Core stage switches to internal power
T-1M20S – ICPS enters terminal countdown mode
T-50S – ICPS LH2 terminate replenish
T-33S – GLS sends “go for automated launch sequencer” command
T-30S – Core stage flight computer to automated launching sequencer
T-12S – Hydrogen burn off igniters initiated
T-10S – GLS sends the command for core stage engine start
T-6.36S– RS-25 engines startup
T-0
Booster ignition, umbilical separation, and liftoff
Inside the terminal countdown, teams have a few options to hold the count if needed.
The launch team can hold at 6 minutes for the duration of the launch window, less the 6 minutes needed to launch, without having to recycle back to 10 minutes.
If teams need to stop the clock between T-6 minutes and T-1 minute, 30 seconds, they can hold for up to 3 minutes and resume the clock to launch. If they require more than 3 minutes of hold time, the countdown would recycle back to T-10.
If the clock stops after T-1 minute and 30 seconds, but before the automated launch sequencer takes over, then teams can recycle back to T-10 to try again, provided there is adequate launch window remaining.
After handover to the automated launch sequencer, any issue that would stop the countdown would lead to concluding the launch attempt for that day.
Launching the Artemis II Moon rocket will lift off the agency’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program, testing the systems that will return astronauts to the Moon for an enduring presence, and paving the way to human exploration of Mars.
As a member of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, Aaron Rose supports critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. In this role, he works with payload developers to safely transport temperature-controlled science experiments to and from station with portable coolers, freezers, and refrigerators.
For the full flight cycle, Rose and his team members ensure all cold stowage hardware, operations, and personnel are coordinated to ensure science experiments are handled safely and securely – all the way from launch to landing. These experiments are vital to unlocking discoveries that are not possible on Earth, improving life on our home planet and helping pave the way for the return to the Moon and future journeys to Mars.
Read on to learn about Rose’s career with NASA and more!
Aaron Rose in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the build of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for Artemis I.
Aaron Rose
Where are you from?
I’m from Canton, Ohio (Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame)
How long have you been working for NASA?
I have been working at Johnson Space Center for 18 years.
What was your path to NASA?
I started as a co-op with Jacobs Engineering in 2008 while attending The Ohio State University. In 2007, retired NASA astronaut Nancy Currie gave a talk at my school and she shared that there were opportunities for students to work at Johnson as a co-op or intern. Upon hearing this, I reached out to her, and she helped me apply to a co-op program. I was accepted and went on to complete several co-op semesters. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering, I joined Jacobs Engineering as a full-time team member and moved to Houston to be a test engineer on a new docking system.
How would you describe your job to family or friends that may not be familiar with NASA?
I work on a team that specializes in temperature-controlled transportation. We receive domestic and international science experiments and pack them into coolers, freezers, or refrigerators. We also make sure those items are correctly installed into the spacecraft and work as expected. After splashdown, we receive the science samples and return them to the researchers as soon as possible. I also have some sway in what ice cream we launch and provide for the crew!
Aaron Rose and his colleague Jessie Jackson pictured with a Falcon 9 rocket at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California.
Aaron Rose
What advice would you give to young individuals aspiring to work in the space industry or at NASA?
Don't be afraid to expand your network. It always helps to meet new people and make connections.
Aaron rose
Cold Stowage Mission Manager
You never know who you might meet that could recommend you for an open position. It definitely worked for me!
Also, don’t give up on engineering if you struggle with higher level mathematics. There are a lot of engineering positions that don’t require frequent use of differential equations, linear algebra, etc. You can still work at NASA with other strengths.
Is there a space figure you’ve looked up to or someone that inspires you?
Retired NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson inspired me to follow my dreams and encouraged me to work at Johnson full time after I graduated from college. I had the pleasure of having lunch with Stephen, where he shared his journey to becoming an astronaut and it resonated with me. After talking to him, I was even more motivated to finish my degree and get back to Houston. There were so many fun and interesting experiences waiting for me that I couldn’t miss!
What is your favorite NASA memory or the most meaningful project you’ve worked on during your time with NASA?
It is a pleasure knowing that my job is directly playing a role in the purpose of the International Space Station.
Aaron rose
Cold Stowage Mission Manager
The first SpaceX mission I supported was NASA’s SpaceX CRS-3 return. I had recently joined the Cold Stowage Team and was still learning the ropes when I was selected to travel to Long Beach, California, and help the team. It was such a thrill to work out of a cargo airplane while handling science experiments that had just returned from space.
Another favorite memory is watching the movie “Apollo 13” in the historic Mission Control Center. It was so surreal to sit at a workstation where the actual events of Apollo 13 occurred while watching the movie. It felt like I was transported back to April 1970, and I was in the movie. The space nerd in me was ecstatic!
What do you love sharing about station?
I like to talk about cargo resupply missions. People genuinely want to know what work is being done on the space station and how we utilize microgravity to develop new technology and fight diseases. I usually share about the different science experiments we fly and explain the steps it takes to safely transport delicate equipment and samples to and from station.
Aaron and Nicole Rose support a NASA outreach event in Houston.
Aaron Rose
November 2, 2025, marked 25 years of continuous human presence. What does this milestone mean to you?
It stands as a testament to what we can achieve when working together. Building and maintaining the space station takes thousands of people working together to unlock the mysteries of the universe.
Aaron rose
Cold Stowage Mission Manager
I’m excited for the future of our industry and can’t wait to see how we continue to raise the bar to achieve NASA’s ambitious goals for deep space exploration. Ad astra!
If you could have dinner with any astronaut, past or present, who would it be?
I would have dinner with former NASA astronaut and fellow Ohioan Neil Armstrong. I met him once and I’d love to ask him some more questions.
Do you have a favorite space-related memory or moment that stands out to you?
Either watching the movie “IMAX: Hubble 3D” with a big group of fellow co-ops at the Houston Museum of Natural Science or seeing my first up-close space shuttle launch.
One summer as a co-op, I tested and certified the IMAX camera equipment that was used by the crew of STS-125 to film part of this movie. It was wonderful to see the final product of my efforts on the big screen.
In 2010, my friend and I drove through the night from Ohio to Florida to see the launch of STS-130 and it was well worth it. This was an especially meaningful launch because it was one of the final shuttle missions, the amazing cupola was on board, and I knew retired astronaut Stephen Robinson, who was a mission specialist for STS-130.
What are some of the key projects you have worked on during your time at NASA? What have been your favorite?
I’ve had the privilege of working on several key projects at NASA, including:
– “IMAX: Hubble 3D”
– The potable water dispenser
– Cold stowage
My favorite focus has been cold stowage. It has given me the chance to support multiple SpaceX, Axiom, and Northrup Grumman missions every year. Through my work in cold stowage, I’ve seen many rocket launches, frequently handled space-flown hardware, and directly contributed to the success of over 50 flights to station. I’ve also cultivated life-long friendships and developed a meaningful career supporting NASA’s core mission.
What are your hobbies/things you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy weightlifting, playing video games, traveling around the world, engaging in car culture, attending comedy shows, and watching movies.
Aaron Rose and his Fiat 124 Spider Abarth soaking up some rays.
Aaron Rose
Day launch or night launch?
Night!
Favorite space movie?
“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back”
NASA Worm or Meatball logo?
Worm!
NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. After 25 years of continuous human presence, the space station remains a training and proving ground for the future of commercial space stations, deep space missions, enabling NASA’s Artemis campaign, lunar exploration, and future Mars missions.
Every day, we are conducting exciting research aboard our orbiting laboratory that will help us explore farther into space and bring benefits back to people on Earth. You can keep up with the latest news, videos, and pictures about space station science on the Station Research & Technology news page. It is a curated hub of space station research digital media from Johnson and other centers and space agencies.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter to get the updates delivered directly to you.
Follow updates on social media at @Space_Station on X, and on the space station accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
Artemis Moon Tree Dedicated in Honor of Mary W. Jackson
Sign installed next to the planted Artemis Moon Tree.
Credit: NASA
On March 18, 2026, students, staff, and members of NASA’s Langley Research Center gathered at Mary W. Jackson Elementary School in Hampton to celebrate the dedication of a remarkable addition to the campus – an Artemis Moon Tree. Although formally dedicated on this day, the loblolly pine had already taken root months earlier, having been planted on November 21st, 2025, by students and staff.
NASA eClips educators from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE) applied for and received the Artemis Moon Tree through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. NASA eClips, part of NASA’s Science Activation Program, strives to deepen science literacy by engaging learners and educators in experiences and standards-aligned resources grounded in NASA science.
The tree’s journey is as extraordinary as its setting. The seed orbited the Moon in 2022 as part of the Artemis I before returning to Earth, where it was nurtured into a sapling by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. In late spring 2025, it arrived in Hampton and was cared for by NASA eClips educators at NIA-CISE until it could be planted by third- through fifth-grade students at Mary W. Jackson Elementary School. The planting site was chosen to honor the legacy of Mary W. Jackson, NASA’s first Black female engineer.
In addition to recognizing current and former members of NASA Langley Research Center in attendance, the ceremony highlighted the collaboration that brought the project to life. A short video showcased the teamwork behind the tree’s planting, reflecting the coordination essential to NASA missions. Students worked in groups – Earth Excavators, Compost Crew, Mulch Movers, and Water Brigade – to carefully plant the tree. Fifth-grader Caiden captured the experience best: “My job was putting soil around the tree, and at first, it seemed like a small task, but I realized it was actually one of the most important parts. The soil is what helps the tree stand strong and grow over time. It made me think about how, in life, the little things we do – like helping others, staying consistent, and doing our part – can make a big difference. Just like this tree came from a seed that traveled around the moon, we all have the potential to go far and do amazing things, but we need a strong foundation to grow…I’m proud that I helped give this tree its start, and I’ll always remember that even small actions can lead to something big.” The ceremony concluded at the planting site with an official ribbon cutting, marking the beginning of the tree’s life as a centerpiece of the school community.
Mary W. Jackson Elementary School’s Artemis Moon Tree also serves as a “bookend” to an Apollo Moon Tree, a sycamore tree that was planted on April 30, 1976, at Albert W. Patrick Elementary School (formerly Booker Elementary School). Together, these trees represent generations of exploration, linking past and present NASA missions in a living timeline of discovery. Their presence in Hampton is especially meaningful, as the city was home to NASA’s earliest research efforts and to the astronauts of Project Mercury, as well as pioneering mathematicians and engineers including Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Christine Darden – trailblazers who, like Mary W. Jackson, helped shape the nation’s journey into space.
The Artemis Moon Tree stands as a living symbol of exploration, curiosity, and scientific discovery – hallmarks of NASA. Entrusted to the care of the students and staff at Mary W. Jackson Elementary, who represent the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and explorers, it will continue to serve as a source of learning and inspiration for years to come.
NASA has selected Jennifer Lyons as acting program manager for the agency’s Launch Services Program (LSP) based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pictured here is Lyons participating in rehearsal launch operations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U) mission inside SpaceX’s Hangar X at NASA’s Kennedy in June 2024.
SpaceX
NASA has selected Jennifer Lyons as acting program manager for the agency’s Launch Services Program (LSP) based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In this role, Lyons will lead NASA’s acquisition and management of domestic commercial launch services for science and robotic exploration missions beginning Wednesday, April 1.
Lyons will oversee mission planning, launch vehicle selection, spacecraft integration, launch processing, launch campaigns, and postlaunch activities. The program matches spacecraft with the most suitable commercial rockets and ensures mission requirements are met from early planning through launch and mission completion. It supports NASA missions that observe Earth, explore the solar system, and expand understanding of the universe.
“Jenny brings the kind of flight-readiness discipline and mission-assurance expertise that have defined the program’s 25‑year record of more than 100 successful flights across 15 commercial rocket types,” said Bradley Smith, director of NASA’s Launch Services Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “In addition to being the transportation cornerstone of NASA’s science and robotic exploration missions, commercial launch is also critically important to NASA’s Artemis architecture. Jenny’s experience in having worked across many NASA projects — from space shuttle to the International Space Station, to Commercial Crew, and partnering with commercial providers — will enable LSP to continue bringing its core launch vehicle capabilities to bear, ensuring successful outcomes.”
Lyons brings nearly four decades of technical, operational, and program leadership experience to the role. She served as the launch services deputy program manager since March 2024 and previously was deputy manager for the Gateway Program’s Deep Space Logistics project. She has worked with launch services for nearly 20 years and led the Fleet and Systems Management Division for more than a decade, overseeing NASA insight and approval activities related to launch vehicle readiness, certification, and mission assurance across a diverse fleet of commercial rockets.
“I am honored to take on this important role supporting NASA’s science and exploration missions,” said Lyons. “I am confident our team will remain focused on delivering safe, reliable launch services while strengthening a healthy commercial market that enables discoveries across the solar system and beyond.”
Lyons has received numerous individual achievement, group, and leadership awards. She holds degrees in aerospace and ocean engineering, space technology, and engineering management. Her career includes a wide range of experiences, including serving as the first woman to act as NASA convoy commander for a space shuttle landing to chairing the source evaluation board for NASA Launch Services II, under which NASA has awarded multiple contracts that support many of the agency’s high-priority missions.
Albert Sierra, program manager for NASA’s Launch Services Program who led LSP since March 2024 is retiring after 36 years of service with NASA. Pictured here is Sierra participating in rehearsal launch operations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U) mission inside SpaceX’s Hangar X at NASA’s Kennedy in June 2024.
SpaceX
She succeeds Albert Sierra, who led the program since March 2024 and is retiring after 36 years of service with NASA. Sierra guided the program through five primary missions and numerous venture‑class launches that provided a steady cadence of flights for the agency. These missions ranged from major weather and Earth‑observing satellites to deep‑space probes, astrophysics and solar‑monitoring observatories, and many CubeSats.
“Leading LSP has been one of the greatest privileges of my career, especially knowing the missions we’ve launched will fuel discovery for years to come,” said Sierra. “While it’s never easy to step away, I’m confident the program will continue its strong record of mission success under Jenny’s leadership.”
