Jaclyn Kagey trains in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where astronauts and flight controllers rehearse spacewalk procedures in a simulated microgravity environment.
Credits: NASA
For Jaclyn Kagey, helping astronauts put boots on the Moon is part of her daily work.
As the Artemis III extravehicular activity lead in NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate, Kagey plays a central role in preparing astronauts for humanity’s return to the lunar surface.
She helps define how astronauts will work on the Moon, from planning detailed spacewalk timelines to guiding real-time operations. Crews will conduct these activities after stepping outside NASA’s human landing system, a commercial lander designed to safely transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back during Artemis missions.
Official portrait of Jaclyn Kagey.
NASA/Robert Markowitz
As NASA prepares to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years, Kagey’s work is helping shape how Artemis missions will unfold. Astronauts will explore the Moon’s south polar region, an area never visited by humans, and the Artemis III mission will serve as the proving ground for future lunar exploration.
Kagey’s career at NASA spans more than 25 years and includes work across some of the agency’s most complex human spaceflight programs. While studying at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she watched space shuttle launches that solidified her goal of working in human spaceflight. That goal became reality through United Space Alliance, where she and her husband began their careers as contractors.
Jaclyn Kagey works in the Mission Control Center during a spacewalk simulation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA/Robert Markowitz
One of Kagey’s career-defining moments came during a high-pressure operation aboard the International Space Station.
“I’ve planned and executed seven spacewalks, but one that stands out was U.S. EVA 21,” she said. “We had a critical ammonia leak on the station, and from the time the issue was identified, we had just 36 hours to plan, prepare the spacesuits, and execute the repair.”
The team successfully completed the spacewalk and restored the system. “The agility, dedication, and teamwork shown during that operation were remarkable,” Kagey said. “It demonstrated what this team can accomplish under pressure.”
Jaclyn Kagey trains in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where astronauts and flight controllers rehearse spacewalk procedures in a simulated microgravity environment.
NASA
Throughout her career, Kagey has learned that adaptability is essential in human spaceflight.
“You have to be flexible,” she said. “Things rarely go exactly as planned, and your job is to respond in a way that keeps the crew safe and the mission moving forward.”
She has also learned the importance of balance. “There are times when the mission requires everything you have,” she said. “And there are times when you have to step back. Learning when to do each is critical.”
Jaclyn Kagey suited up in Axiom Space’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit during a test on the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) at Johnson’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility.
Axiom Space
Kagey’s influence also extends to the future of spacesuit development. Standing on the shorter end of the height spectrum, she once could not complete a full test in the legacy Extravehicular Mobility Unit despite passing the fit check. Although Kagey could don the suit, its proportions were too large for her and made it difficult to move as needed for the test. That experience drove her to advocate for designs that better support a wider range of body types.
That effort came full circle when she recently completed her first test in Axiom Space’s lunar spacesuit, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), on the Active Response Gravity Offload System at Johnson Space Center.
“It’s exciting to literally fit into the future of spacewalks!” Kagey said.
Jaclyn Kagey conducts lunar surface operations training in the Rock Yard at Johnson Space Center, where teams test tools and procedures for future Artemis missions.
NASA
As momentum builds around Artemis, Kagey remains focused on the responsibility that comes with advancing human space exploration.
“My mission is to shape this historic endeavor by working closely with scientists and industry partners to define lunar surface activities,” Kagey said. “We are setting the standard for humanity’s return to the Moon.”
For more than 25 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, conducting research that is transforming life on Earth and shaping the future of exploration. From growing food and sequencing DNA to studying disease and simulating Mars missions, every experiment aboard the orbiting laboratory expands our understanding of how humans can thrive beyond Earth while advancing science and technology that benefit people around the world.
Unlocking new cancer therapies from space
NASA astronaut Christina Koch works on MicroQuin’s protein crystallization research aboard the International Space Station.
NASA
The space station gives scientists a laboratory unlike any on Earth. In microgravity, cells grow in three dimensions, proteins form higher-quality crystals, and biological systems reveal details hidden by gravity. These conditions open new ways to study disease and develop treatments.
Astronauts and researchers have used the orbiting laboratory to observe how cancer cells grow, test drug delivery methods, and examine protein structures linked to diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. One example is the Angiex Cancer Therapy study, which tested a drug designed to target blood vessels that feed tumors. In microgravity, endothelial cells survive longer and behave more like they do in the human body, giving researchers a clearer view of how the therapy works and whether it is safe before human trials.
Protein crystal growth (PCG) is another major area of cancer-related study. The NanoRacks-PCG Therapeutic Discovery and On-Orbit Crystals investigations have advanced research on leukemia, breast cancer, and skin cancers. Protein crystals grown in microgravity produce larger, better-organized structures that allow scientists to determine fine structural details that guide the design of targeted treatments.
Studies in orbit have also provided insights about cardiovascular health, bone disorders, and how the immune system changes in space—knowledge that informs medicine on Earth and prepares astronauts for long missions in deep space.
By turning space into a research lab, scientists are advancing therapies that benefit people on Earth and laying the foundation for ensuring crew health on future journeys to the Moon and Mars.
Farming for the future
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines work on the eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System (XROOTS) space botany investigation, which used the station’s Veggie facility to test soilless hydroponic and aeroponic methods to grow plants. The space agricultural study could enable production of crops on a larger scale to sustain crews on future space explorations farther away from Earth.
NASA
Feeding astronauts on long-duration missions requires more than packaged meals. It demands sustainable systems that can grow fresh food in space. The Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, is a garden on the space station designed to test how plants grow in microgravity while adding fresh produce to the crew’s diet and improving well-being in orbit.
To date, Veggie has produced three types of lettuce, Chinese cabbage, mizuna mustard, red Russian kale, and even zinnia flowers. Astronauts have eaten space-grown lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, and chili peppers using Veggie and the Advanced Plant Habitat, a larger, more controlled growth chamber that allows scientists to study crops in greater detail.
These plant experiments pave the way for future lunar and Martian greenhouses by showing how microgravity affects plant development, water and nutrient delivery, and microbial interactions. They also provide immediate benefits for Earth, advancing controlled-environment agriculture and vertical farming techniques that help make food production more efficient and resilient in challenging environments.
First year-long twin study
Mark and Scott Kelly, both former NASA astronauts, are photographed as part of NASA’s Twins Study.
NASA
Understanding how the human body changes in space is critical for planning long-duration missions. NASA’s Twins Study offered an unprecedented opportunity to investigate nature vs. nurture in orbit and on Earth. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly spent nearly a year aboard the space station while his identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, remained on Earth.
By comparing the twins before, during, and after the mission, researchers examined changes at the genomic, physiological, and behavioral levels in one integrated study. The results showed most changes in Scott’s body returned to baseline after his return, but some persisted—such as shifts in gene expression, telomere length, and immune system responses.
The study provided the most comprehensive molecular view to date of how a human body adapts to spaceflight. Its findings may guide NASA’s Human Research Program for years to come, informing countermeasures for radiation, microgravity, and isolation. The research may have implications for health on Earth as well—from understanding aging and disease to exploring treatments for stress-related disorders and traumatic brain injury.
The Twins Study demonstrated the resilience of the human body in space and continues to shape the medical playbook for the Artemis campaign to the Moon and future journeys to Mars.
Simulating deep space
A view inside the sandbox portion of the Crew Health and Performance Analog, where research volunteers participate in simulated walks on the surface of Mars.
NASA/Bill Stafford
The space station, which is itself an analog for deep space, complements Earth-based analog research simulating the spaceflight environment. Space station observations, findings, and challenges, inform the research questions and countermeasures scientists explore on Earth.
Such work is currently underway through CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), a mission in which volunteers live and work inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed Mars habitat for about a year. The first CHAPEA crew completed 378 days in isolation in 2024, testing strategies for maintaining health, growing food, and sustaining morale under delayed communication.
NASA recently launched CHAPEA 2, with a four-person crew who began their 378-day simulated Mars mission at Johnson on October 19, 2025. Building on lessons from the first mission and decades of space station research, they will test new technologies and behavioral countermeasures that will help future explorers thrive during long-duration missions, preparing Artemis astronauts for the journey to the Moon and laying the foundation for the first human expeditions to Mars.
Keeping crews healthy in low Earth orbit
NASA astronaut Nick Hague pedals on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS), an exercise cycle located aboard the space station’s Destiny laboratory module. CEVIS provides aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning through recumbent or upright cycling activities.
NASA
Staying healthy is a top priority for all NASA astronauts, but it is particularly important while living and working aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Crews often spend extended periods of time aboard the orbiting laboratory, with the average mission lasting about six months or more. During these long-duration missions, without the continuous load of Earth’s gravity, there are many changes to the human body. Proper nutrition and exercise are some of the ways these effects may be mitigated.
NASA has a team of medical physicians, psychologists, nutritionists, exercise scientists, and other specialized medical personnel who collaborate to ensure astronauts’ health and fitness on the station. These teams are led by a NASA flight surgeon, who regularly monitors each crew member’s health during a mission and individualizes diet and fitness routines to prioritize health and safety while in space.
Crew members are also part of the ongoing health and performance research being conducted to advance understanding of long-term spaceflight’s effects on the human body. That knowledge is applied to any crewed mission and will help prepare humanity to travel farther than ever before, including the Moon and Mars.
Sequencing the future
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins checks a sample for air bubbles prior to loading it in the biomolecule sequencer. When Rubins’ expedition began, zero base pairs of DNA had been sequenced in space. Within just a few weeks, she and the Biomolecule Sequencer team had sequenced their one billionth base of DNA aboard the orbiting laboratory.
In 2016, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins made history aboard the orbital outpost as the first person to sequence DNA in space. Using a handheld device called the MinION, she analyzed DNA samples in microgravity, proving that genetic sequencing could be performed in low Earth orbit for the first time.
Her work advanced in-flight molecular diagnostics, long-duration cell culture, and molecular biology techniques such as liquid handling in microgravity.
The ability to sequence DNA aboard the orbiting laboratory allows astronauts and scientists to identify microbes in real time, monitor crew health, and study how living organisms adapt to spaceflight. The same technology now supports medical diagnostics and disease detection in remote or extreme environments on Earth.
This research continues through the Genes in Space program, where students design DNA experiments that fly aboard NASA missions. Each investigation builds on Rubins’ milestone, paving the way for future explorers to diagnose illness, monitor environmental health, and search for signs of life beyond Earth.
Susan Schuh has dedicated her career to helping humans adapt to life beyond Earth.
As the Flight Crew Integration Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team lead in NASA’s Human Health and Performance Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Schuh leads efforts to understand what it is really like to live and work in space. She turns that information into progress by documenting astronauts’ feedback to improve current and future spaceflight missions.
Official portrait of Susan Schuh.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Her work not only supports crews aboard the International Space Station, but also provides critical information for NASA’s preparations to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before through Artemis missions.
Her team supports astronaut inflight and postflight debriefs, capturing and analyzing feedback to help NASA apply lessons learned. They also manage one of NASA’s most valuable habitability tools, the Crew Comments Database. With more than 115,000 entries spanning 25 years of International Space Station missions, it is the only comprehensive and searchable record of crew feedback in existence. Every comment, from how astronauts sleep to how they organize supplies, becomes part of NASA’s collective learning.
“The Crew Comments Database is my work pride and joy,” Schuh said. “It’s been an invaluable resource for operations and development and continues to lend itself to future exploration.”
Schuh’s path to NASA began with a mentor who saw her potential early on. While studying psychology at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, she was introduced to human factors research by Dr. Gerald Gamache, whose work on the effects of the Chernobyl reactor explosion helped shape her understanding of how people function in complex environments.
While completing her master’s degree in human factors and systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, Schuh began her first internship at NASA in 2000. “Even from the first days of my internship at Johnson, I knew I was meant to be a part of this community supporting humans living and working in space,” she said.
Schuh left Johnson briefly to support human systems integration for the Navy and Air Force but returned in 2006. Since then, she has continued to shape how astronauts experience living and working in space.
NASA astronauts and panelists participate in the Parent Support Panel Discussion at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Johnson Employee Assistance Program counselor Anika Isaac, top left, moderated the event alongside Susan Schuh, second from left, top row. Author Emily Oster, front center, joined astronaut parents, from left, Christina Koch, Jessica Watkins, Jessica Meir, and Reid Wiseman.
NASA/David DeHoyos
Her mentor’s influence extended beyond Schuh’s technical work. “Dr. Gamache was also a community builder outside of his professional life, and I’d like to think some of that rubbed off on me,” she said. That inspiration led her to found the Johnson Parenting community in 2020, which now includes more than 600 members who share support and resources for working parents across the center.
Schuh has learned that her work is about more than data—it is about people. “Being purposeful in taking time to listen and be willing to learn and collaborate has made all the difference for me,” she said. “Over time, I’ve learned a lot about perseverance. This work has required it, encouraging folks to utilize the Crew Comments Database and keeping the feedback process empowered and robust.”
Susan Schuh is honored with a Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award on March 24, 2022. She is pictured with her daughter, Lorelei.
NASA/Robert Markowitz
She is most proud of her family, known as Team Schuh—her husband, Scott, who works on the Orion Ascent Abort Mode Team, and their three daughters, Wilhelmina, Lorelei, and Franny. “They’re the reason I keep striving to balance work, family, and everything in between,” she said.
Finding that balance has been an ongoing struggle for her. “One of my biggest professional challenges, especially in the last 14 years since my oldest daughter was born, has been finding work-life balance,” she said. “I often struggle with creating boundaries and calling it a day at a reasonable time. I won’t pretend I have the secret recipe, but I’m working on it for sure.” Schuh credits the Johnson Parenting community for helping her and others along the way.
Susan Schuh with her husband, Scott, and their three daughters, Wilhelmina, Lorelei, and Franny.
Outside of work, Schuh finds peace in the water and in nature. Her father, who worked in underwater engineering, taught her to scuba dive when she was 11. “We’ve taken some amazing multi-day trips together, including multiple visits to Cay Sal Bank,” she said. “He’s my favorite dive buddy, and I look forward to many more dive trips with him.”
Looking ahead, Schuh hopes to pass on that same sense of purpose she has found at NASA to the next generation. “Make connections and nurture them. It’s always cool to be kind,” she said. “Stay true to yourself and your values. Tell the people you admire how and why they inspire you.”
From left, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, Johnson Space Center employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk wearing Orion Crew Survival System suits, and Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche stand on the field during the Houston Texans’ Space City Day game Jan. 4, 2026.
NASA/James Blair
NASA’s Johnson Space Center was front and center Jan. 4, 2026, as the Houston Texans faced the Indianapolis Colts during Space City Day at NRG Stadium. Fans watched the Texans win while getting a close look at NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of the Artemis campaign.
The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen—around the Moon and back to Earth to test Orion spacecraft systems in deep space and help lay the groundwork for future lunar missions.
NASA connected fans with the agency’s next giant leap, reinforcing Space City’s role in shaping the future of human exploration.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center employees hold the American flag on the field during the national anthem at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Image courtesy of the Houston Texans
Before kickoff, 27 Johnson employees helped unfurl the U.S. flag for the national anthem, marking the start of an evening that blended football, exploration, and Houston pride.
Johnson employees gather on the BULLevard to share the excitement of space exploration with football fans.
On the BULLevard, Johnson employees engaged with fans at a NASA activation area, where visitors explored the agency’s Mobile Exhibit Trailer and learned more about Artemis II. Team members answered questions and shared how NASA is preparing to send humans back to the Moon.
From left, Johnson Community Engagement Lead Jessica Cordero, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Flight Controller Jonathan Guthmiller wearing the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), Multimedia Developer Jessica Krenzel, and NASA Flight Controller Sarah Hill stand together during the outdoor engagement on the BULLevard outside NRG Stadium.
Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins visited the exhibit and the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program booth, where they greeted team members and thanked volunteers supporting the event.
The International Space Station Program joined the celebration with a prerecorded message from the Expedition 74 crew, marking over 25 years of continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.
The Expedition 74 crew aboard the International Space Station deliver a prerecorded message to fans on the stadium jumbotron during the Houston Texans’ Space City Day game.
“Even from 250 miles above the Earth, we’re proud to represent Houston and celebrate the mission of this incredible city on and off the field,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke.
“Today’s game reminds us how connected Houston, NASA, and the Texans truly are,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman.
Cardman highlighted how research aboard the International Space Station has led to innovations that benefit life on Earth, including applications now used in sports and athletic safety. Advances in materials developed for spacesuits and astronaut protection have influenced the design of modern helmets and padding, while cooling technologies originally created for extreme environments are used in training gear and protective equipment.
“Space innovation doesn’t remain in orbit, sometimes it ends up on the 50-yard line.”
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, center, and Johnson employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk, wearing Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits, take the field during the Texans’ “Reppin’ H-Town” appearance.
Image courtesy of the Houston Texans
Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche waves to fans after participating in the ceremonial coin toss.
Image courtesy of the Houston Texans
Jessica Watkins took the field for the Texans’ “Reppin’ H-Town” appearance, joined by Johnson employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk wearing NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits. The bright orange pressure suits are designed to protect astronauts during launch, flight, and reentry aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
The pregame continued with Center Director Vanessa Wyche joining the festivities on the field and participating in the ceremonial coin toss, where she called heads.
About 30 seconds into halftime, the Artemis Fueling the Fire video played on the stadium jumbotron, sharing NASA’s plans to return humans to the Moon and marking a major step in the agency’s Moon to Mars campaign.
Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins are interviewed on the field during halftime.
The video led into a live interview with Vanessa Wyche and Jessica Watkins, where Wyche discussed the Artemis II mission and Watkins highlighted similarities between astronaut training and football training. At the conclusion of the interview, the host invited fans to take part in NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis II” initiative, which allows the public to have their names stored on a small chip aboard the Orion spacecraft during the mission. Participants receive a digital boarding pass and virtual guest access to select NASA launches. While the names remain stored electronically inside the spacecraft, the effort symbolically gives participants a place on Orion’s journey around the Moon.
In the quarter century that humans have lived and worked aboard the International Space Station, astronauts and visitors from around the world have celebrated countless holidays more than 250 miles above Earth while traveling 17,500 miles per hour. Crews have marked Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, New Year’s, birthdays, and national holidays as they circle the planet every 90 minutes.
Holiday traditions in space often look familiar, just adapted for microgravity. NASA astronauts share special meals packed by the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where crews select their menus with help from nutritionists and food scientists before launch. Cargo launches arriving before special occasions often deliver Holiday Bulk Overwrapped Bags filled with foods like clams, oysters, turkey, green beans, and smoked salmon, along with shelf-stable treats such as candies, icing, almond butter, and hummus.
Crew members exchange small gifts that float through the modules, add festive decorations around the station, and connect with loved ones through video calls. Astronauts also send holiday greetings to Earth, a reminder that even in space, home is never far away.
The Expedition 73 crew share a holiday message aboard the International Space Station in Dec. 2025.
Enjoy 25 years of celebrations below.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams, Expedition 72 flight engineer and commander, share snacks and goodies on Christmas Eve in 2024 inside the gallery of the space station’s Unity module.
NASA
Four Expedition 70 crewmates join each other inside the space station’s Unity module for a Christmas Day meal in Dec. 2023. From left are, Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency); and NASA Flight Engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli.
NASA
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti pictured aboard the space station on Dec. 20, 2014, during Expedition 42.
NASA
Expedition 4 crew members, former NASA astronauts Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Yuri Onufriyenko, pose for a Christmas photo in Dec. 2001.
NASA
The Expedition 64 crew celebrate Christmas in 2019 with a brunch inside the space station’s Unity module decorated with stockings, flashlight “candles” and a Christmas tree banner. Clockwise from bottom left are, NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Meir and Christina Koch, Roscosmos Flight Engineers Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Skvortsov, NASA Flight Engineer Drew Morgan, and Commander Luca Parmitano of ESA.
Expedition 13 crew members, Roscosmos cosmonaut Valery I. Tokarev, left, and former NASA astronaut William McArthur, pose with Christmas stockings in Dec. 2005.
NASA
The six Expedition 30 crew members assemble in the U.S. Destiny laboratory aboard the space station for a Christmas celebration in Dec. 2011.
NASA
Four Expedition 70 crewmates join each other inside the space station’s Unity module for Christmas Eve festivities in 2023. From left are, NASA Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara; Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata from JAXA; and Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA.
NASA
Expedition 22 crew members celebrate the holidays aboard the orbital outpost in Dec. 2009. In the front row are former NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, commander (right), and Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, flight engineer. In the back row, from left, are Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, former NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, all flight engineers.
NASA
Expedition 50 crew members celebrate the holidays aboard the orbiting laboratory in Dec. 2016.
NASA
NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Suni Williams, Expedition 72 flight engineer and commander, pose for a fun holiday season portrait while speaking on a ham radio inside the space station’s Columbus laboratory module.
NASA
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams shows off a holiday decoration of a familiar reindeer aboard the space station on Dec. 16, 2024. The decoration was crafted with excess hardware, cargo bags, and recently-delivered Santa hats.
NASA
The space station remains a vital scientific platform, providing the foundation needed to survive and thrive as humanity ventures into the unexplored territories of our universe.
Learn more about the space station’s 25 years of continuous human presence and explore stories, images, and research at:
Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Chris Williams, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) a...
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston closed 2025 with major progress across human spaceflight, research, and exploration. From Artemis II mission preparations to science aboard the International Space Station, teams at Johnson helped prepare for future missions to the Moon and, ultimately, Mars.
Orion Stacked for Artemis II, Orion Mission Evaluation Room Unveiled
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft with its launch abort system is stacked atop the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 20, 2025.
NASA/Kim Shiflett
As NASA prepares for the crewedArtemis II mission, a 10-day journey around the Moon and back in early 2026, teams at Johnson continue work to ensure the Orion spacecraft is flight-ready. The mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
In October, NASA completedstacking of the Orion spacecraft and launch abort system atop the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following Orion stacking, teams completed testing critical communications systems between SLS and Orion, and confirmed the interfaces function properly between the rocket, Orion, and the ground systems.
The new Orion Mission Evaluation Room inside the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA/Bill Stafford
Teams also unveiled theOrion Mission Evaluation Room inside NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston. The new facility will support Artemis II by allowing engineers to monitor Orion spacecraft systems in real time and assess vehicle performance throughout the mission, strengthening flight operations beyond low Earth orbit.
These milestones were made possible by teams across Johnson, including the Orion Program, Flight Operations Directorate, Systems Engineering and Integration Office, Crew and Thermal Systems Division, and the Human Health and Performance Directorate, working closely with other NASA centers and industry partners.
These accomplishments mark steady progress toward Artemis II and reflect the work underway across NASA to advance the next era of human spaceflight.
Gateway Lunar Space Station
The primary structure of Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) undergoing assembly, integration, and testing at Lanteris Space Systems in Palo Alto, California, on September 29, 2025.
Lanteris Space Systems
Together with international and industry partners, the Gateway Program continued progress toward building humanity’s first lunar space station. The powerhouse reached a major milestone this fall with its successful initial power on.
NASA Selects 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class
NASA’s new astronaut candidates greet the crowd for the first time at Johnson Space Center.
NASA/James Blair
NASA’s 10 new astronaut candidates were introduced Sept. 22 following a competitive selection process of more than 8,000 applicants from across the United States. The class will complete nearly two years of training before becoming eligible for flight assignments supporting missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.
When they graduate, they will join NASA’s active astronaut corps, advancing research aboard the space station and supporting Artemis missions that will carry human exploration farther than ever before.
A Space Station Anniversary
NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000.
NASA/Jonny Kim
On Nov. 2, 2025, NASA marked 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the space station. What began as a set of connected modules has grown into a cornerstone of international partnership, scientific discovery, and technology development in low Earth orbit. For a quarter of century, the orbiting laboratory has supported research that advances human health, drives innovation, and prepares NASA for future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.
A truly global endeavor, the space station has been visited by more than 290 people from 26 countries and a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. The unique microgravity laboratory has hosted more than 4,000 experiments from over 5,000 researchers from 110 countries. The orbital outpost also is facilitating the growth of a commercial market in low Earth orbit for research, technology development, and crew and cargo transportation.
After 25 years of habitation, the space station remains a symbol of international cooperation and a proving ground for humanity’s next giant leaps.
Record-Breaking Spacewalks
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams is pictured during a six-hour spacewalk for science and maintenance on the International Space Station. At upper right, is the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft docked to the Harmony module’s space-facing port.
NASA
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore began 2025 with two successful spacewalks, completing key maintenance and research tasks. Their work included removing an antenna assembly and collecting surface material samples for analysis at Johnson’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Services, or ARES, division.
With her latest spacewalks, Williams now holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman–62 hours and 6 minutes–placing her fourth among the most experienced spacewalkers.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers also conducted spacewalk operations, installing a mounting bracket to prepare for the future installation of an additional set of International Space Station Rollout Solar Arrays and relocating a space station communications antenna.
These achievements were made possible by countless Johnson teams across the International Space Station, Flight Operations Directorate, and Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science Directorate.
Two Expeditions Take Flight
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 arrived at the space station on March 15 and returned to Earth on on Aug. 9. Crew-10 included NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov—all of whom are trained pilots. Crew-9 also splashed down off Florida’s coast on March 18.
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim launched aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft on April 8, marking his first mission to the space station. Expedition 73 officially began following the departure of NASA astronaut Don Pettit aboard Soyuz MS-26 on April 19. NASA astronaut Chris Williams then launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on Nov. 27 with Kim returning to Earth shortly after on Dec. 9, marking the start of Expedition 74.
A Year of Lunar Firsts
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander captured a bright image of the Moon’s South Pole (on the far left) through the cameras on its top deck, while it travels to the Moon as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign.
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 launched delivering 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the Moon on March 2. The lander touched down near Mons Latreille in Mare Crisium, a basin on the near side of the Moon. Just days later on March 6, Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission landed closer to the lunar South Pole than any previous lander.
Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) and Artemis campaign, these lunar deliveries are helping scientists address challenges like lunar dust mitigation, resource utilization, and radiation tolerance.
These milestones were made possible by the collaborative efforts of Johnson teams across NASA’s CLPS initiative, as well as the Engineering; Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science; and Flight Operations directorates—along with support from other NASA centers.
First Asteroid-Detecting Space Telescope Completes Testing
The instrument enclosure of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor is prepared for critical environmental tests inside the historic Chamber A at the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
NASA
NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor—its first space-based telescope designed specifically for planetary defense—has successfully completed thermal vacuum testing in Johnson’s Space Environment Simulation Laboratory in Chamber A.
Set to launch no earlier than late 2027, NEO Surveyor will seek out, measure, and characterize hard-to-detect asteroids and comets that could pose a hazard to Earth. The spacecraft is now at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California for continued development.
These achievements were made possible by countless Johnson teams across the ARES Division and Engineering Directorate.
First Houston AutoBoative Show
Johnson Space Center employees present the Artemis Exhibit at the 2025 Houston AutoBoative Show at NRG Center.
NASA/Robert Markowitz
For the first time, NASA rolled out its Artemis exhibit at the Houston AutoBoative Show at NRG Center from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. Johnson employees introduced vehicle enthusiasts to the technologies NASA and its commercial partners will use to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.
The Artemis exhibit stood alongside some of the world’s most advanced cars and boats, offering visitors an up-close look at the future of human space exploration.
Attendees explored Artemis II and Artemis III mission road maps, practiced a simulated Orion docking with Gateway in lunar orbit, and tested their skills driving a virtual lunar rover simulator.
NASA showcased lunar rover concepts, highlighting vehicles under development to help Artemis astronauts travel farther across the Moon’s surface.
All three Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) contractors, Astrolab, Intuitive Machines, and Lunar Outpost, completed their Preliminary Design Review milestones in June 2025, marking the end of Phase 1 feasibility study task orders that began in May 2024. NASA is preparing to award Phase 2 of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract with a demonstration mission task order that will result in the development, delivery, and demonstration of an LTV on the Moon later this decade.
First Dual NBL Run for NASA’s Artemis III Lunar Spacesuit
NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara (left) and Stan Love (right) pose during the first dual spacesuit run at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston on Sept. 24, 2025. The astronauts wore Axiom Space’s Artemis III lunar spacesuit, known as the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), during the final integrated underwater test, confirming the spacesuit and facility are ready to support Artemis training.
NASA
NASA and Axiom Space teams held the first dual spacesuit run at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory with NASA astronauts Stan Love and Loral O’Hara. Both crewmembers wore Axiom Space’s lunar spacesuit, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), while performing simulated lunar surface operations underwater to test the spacesuit’s functionality and mobility. This was the final integration test in the pool, proving both the spacesuit and facility are ready to support NASA Artemis training. To date, the Axiom team has conducted over 700 hours of manned, pressurized testing of the Artemis III lunar spacesuit. Axiom Space is scheduled to complete the critical design review in 2026.
These efforts were made possible by teams across Johnson’s Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team.
Watch how astronauts, engineers, and scientists are preparing for the next giant leap on the lunar surface.
OSIRIS-REx Team Honored for Asteroid Sample Return
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team poses inside a cleanroom at Johnson Space Center after successfully freeing fasteners on the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head, allowing access to samples collected from asteroid Bennu.
NASA/Robert Markowitz
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx curation team earned an Agency Group Achievement Award for their dedication to acquiring, preserving, and distributing asteroid samples from Bennu—the agency’s first asteroid sample return mission.
“The curation team ensured we were ready to receive and safeguard the samples, prepare and allocate them, and make them available to the broader scientific community,” said Jemma Davidson, Astromaterials curator and branch chief of the Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office.
After years of preparation, the team overcame unforeseen technical challenges to recover and preserve more than 120 grams of asteroid material—now accessible to scientists worldwide for research into the origins of our solar system.
These achievements were made possible by Johnson teams across the ARES Division and the Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science Directorate.
Axiom Mission 4 Marks International Firsts in Space Station Mission
The official crew portrait of the Axiom Mission-4 private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. From left are, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Commander Peggy Whitson from the U.S., and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uzanański-Wiśniewksi from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Axiom Space
The Axiom Mission 4 crew successfully returned to Earth after an 18-day mission aboard the space station, conducting more than 60 experiments and educational outreach activities. Launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on June 25, the crew docked with the orbiting laboratory the following day to begin a packed schedule of science and outreach.
The mission marked the first space station flight for India, Poland, and Hungary. Led by former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space director of human spaceflight Peggy Whitson, the crew included ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut Tibor Kapu.
These achievements were made possible by Johnson’s dedicated teams across the International Space Station Program, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, and Flight Operations Directorate.
Johnson-Built Mars Hardware on Display at the Smithsonian
At left is NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover, with a circle indicating the location of the calibration target for the rover’s SHERLOC instrument. At right is a close-up of the calibration target. Along the bottom row are five swatches of spacesuit materials that scientists are studying as they de-grade.
NASA/Malin Space Science Systems
Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) calibration target built at NASA’s Johnson Space Center is on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Futures in Space gallery in Washington, D.C.
NASA/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
A piece of NASA Johnson Space Center’s Mars legacy has landed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Nearly 10 years in the making, the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) calibration target—built by Johnson’s ARES Division with partners at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Amentum—now has a permanent place in the museum’s Futures in Space gallery.
The palm-sized device is displayed beside an R2-D2 replica, connecting the wonder of space travel with the inspiration of seeing real flight hardware up close.
The calibration target, still in use aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover after more than four years of operations in Jezero Crater, Mars, helps keep SHERLOC’s laser, cameras, and spectrometers precisely tuned as it searches for ancient signs of life on Mars. Mounted on the rover’s front, the target carries 10 known samples so engineers can check SHERLOC’s performance during routine operations.
Trevor Graff, an ARES scientist who conceived the idea and led the team that designed and built SHERLOC’s calibration device, said the project highlights the unique role of geology in space exploration. “What excites me most is the practical application of geology—where science enables exploration and exploration enables science,” he said.
SHERLOC itself sits on the rover’s seven-foot robotic arm and combines a laser, camera, and chemical analyzers to look for signs that water once altered the Martian surface, potentially revealing evidence of past microscopic life. Several calibration targets are made from spacesuit material samples, allowing Johnson scientists to study how fabrics endure the harsh Martian environment to protect future explorers.
The Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team (JETT), led out of Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, is a specialized group that...
After 25 years of continuous human presence in space, the International Space Station remains a training and proving ground for deep space missions, enabling NASA to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars. The orbiting laboratory is also a living archive of human experience, culture, and connection.
Creating community
Expedition 34 crew members pictured in the Unity node of the International Space Station in December 2012.
NASA
With 290 visitors from 26 countries and five international partners, the space station has celebrated many different cultures during its 25 years of continuous human presence. Crew members share their holiday traditions, cuisine, music, and games with each other – creating their own community, similar to the ones they have back home, while maintaining a connection to Earth.
Crews living and working aboard the space station during the holiday season have found creative ways to mark the occasions from low Earth orbit. Festive socks, Halloween costumes, mini artificial Christmas trees, champagne, and candle-less menorahs are just a few of the items space station visitors have brought with them to spread holiday cheer.
Mealtimes are also the perfect opportunity to share a taste of home. The space station’s standard menu is inclusive of varied cuisines, but crew members also contribute their own special food items. French astronaut Thomas G. Pesquet once brought macarons to help celebrate his birthday, and several JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronauts have hosted sushi parties.
Sharing a piece of themselves and their cultures not only fosters crew camaraderie but also supports the international collaboration necessary to sustain the space station’s success.
Taking music to new heights
Expedition 55 crew members aboard the space station (from left) are NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, and NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Scott Tingle.
The first musical instrument, an acoustic guitar, arrived at the orbiting laboratory in August 2001. Since then, playing music aboard the orbiting laboratory has supported astronaut well-being, fostered relationships among international crew members, and helped them connect with home.
The space station’s instrument collection started with an acoustic guitar and an electric keyboard, and also includes an alto saxophone. Some NASA astronauts bring their own instruments to suit their playing habits – bagpipes for Kjell Lindgren, flutes for Catherine Coleman, a piccolo for Jessica Meir. International partners have, too. In April 2010, JAXA astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Naoko Yamazaki performed a duet using a bamboo flute and a miniature version of a traditional Japanese stringed instrument.
Several crew members have played in concerts on Earth while still orbiting the planet. Coleman played a duet with the frontman of Jethro Tull, for example, and ESA (European Space Agency) Luca Parmitano used the station’s electric keyboard to participate in a concert at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. He later became the first person to perform a DJ set from space.
The space station has even hosted at least one epic jam session, featuring the crew members of Expedition 55 on guitar, flutes, and a drum made from a repurposed waste container.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg plays guitar inside the space station’s Kibo laboratory module.
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir plays a saxophone in front of the station’s Cupola windows.
Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov plays an electronic keyboard aboard the space station’s Harmony module.
NASA astronaut Cady Coleman plays a flute in the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Kibo laboratory aboard the space station.
Former NASA astronaut Dan Burbank plays a guitar while Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov plays a musical keyboard in the station’s Unity node.
An astronaut’s perspective
The sun shines above Earth’s horizon as the space station orbited 264 miles above the Canadian province of Quebec.
NASA
Across the decades and missions of U.S. human spaceflight, NASA astronauts have shared a unique and transcendent experience: looking down at Earth from the space station’s cupola windows. That experience has had a profound impact on many, creating a powerful shift in the way astronauts think about life and our home planet – a phenomenon known as the overview effect.
Crew members aboard the orbital outpost describe the beauty of our planet and how it stands in stark contrast to the darkness of space from the cupola module. Many comment on Earth’s fragility and the need to protect it after observing how thin the planet’s atmosphere appears to be from orbit. Others note the lack of borders or lines we see on a map, emphasizing that all of humanity is connected.
Regardless of how long they stay in orbit, astronauts return with a different worldview they are eager to share with others.
The space station provides a vantage point like no other. The cupola observation module, with its seven windows, offers unparalleled panoramic views of Earth and space which are crucial for monitoring mission activities, conducting scientific observations, and supporting crew morale and habitability. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory have captured millions of photographs of Earth, creating a visual archive that spans 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit.
These images serve as scientific data used to track hurricanes, monitor wildfires, measure glacial retreat, and study urban growth through NASA’s Crew Earth Observations. Astronaut photography also supports NASA Disaster Response, a program that works with various NASA centers to collect data before, during, and following a disaster to aid recovery efforts.
The cupola has become a favorite spot for astronauts to work and reflect. Their photos help connect people worldwide to the orbital outpost, reinforcing the importance of protecting our planet.
Earth views
NASA astronaut Don Pettit photographs “cosmic colors at sunrise.” From 250 miles above, the space station’s orbital path covers most of Earth’s population, offering valuable data and a great opportunity for shooting photography.
The Full Moon is pictured setting below Earth’s horizon from the space station.
Earth observation taken by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the orbital outpost.
The southern coast of Africa is pictured from the space station’s “window to the world,” or cupola, as it soared 265 miles above.
Earth observation taken during a day pass by an Expedition 36 crew member aboard the space station.
The Canadarm2 robotic arm, with Dextre—its fine-tuned robotic hand—attached, extends from the space station’s Harmony module as the orbital outpost soars 263 miles above Kazakhstan.
Earth observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Clouds gather on Nepal’s sub-tropical side of the Himalayas with Mount Everest at the center of this photograph taken by an external high definition camera on the space station as it orbited 263 miles above the Indian subcontinent.
The Milky Way appears above Earth’s bright atmospheric glow from the orbital outpost as it soared 261 miles above southern Iran.
The soft hues of an orbital sunrise reveals the cloud tops above the Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand as the space station orbited 260 miles above.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit captures a photo of a fire in La Porte, Texas in 2024.
NASA astronaut John Phillips photographs a wildfire raging through northeast Phoenix in 2005.
The blue-green lights of fishing boats, designed to lure squid, sardines, or mackerel, dot the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait contrasting with the coastal city lights of Taiwan and China. The space station was orbiting 259 miles above the South China Sea just south of Taiwan.
The Moon’s shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine.
Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Category 1 Hurricane Erick as it stormed across the Pacific Ocean south of the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Eruption of Cleveland Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska in 2006.
Hurricane Gabrielle is seen in the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour.
Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm at the time, in the Gulf of America off the coast of Yucatan Peninsula in 2024.
Wildfires burn throughout Canada’s central provinces sending smoke drifting into the United States’ Great Lakes and Northeast regions.
Lightning illuminates the cloud tops as the International Space Station orbits 259 miles above the Atlantic Ocean east of the Bahamas.
Station memories from the ground
Flight controllers at NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston marked 25 years of continuous human presence in space with the Expedition 73 crew aboard the orbital outpost on Nov. 2, 2025.
NASA/Pooja J. Jesrani
Behind every moment aboard the orbiting laboratory is a dedicated team on the ground – engineers, scientists, flight directors, and communicators – who work around the clock to keep crews safe and missions running smoothly.
They mark milestones together, from spacecraft dockings and crew returns to mission anniversaries and plaque-hanging ceremonies. Teams on console in the mission control have even organized chess matches with astronauts in orbit to foster connection between Earth and space.
The flight control team celebrated the 25th anniversary of continuous human habitation in space with the Expedition 73 crew aboard the station on Nov. 2, 2025. The team congratulated the crew to mark the incredible milestone. They emphasized that humanity has held a heartbeat in orbit for a quarter century, a testament to human curiosity, cooperation, and courage that keeps the light of exploration shining above Earth and represents the very best of what humankind can achieve together. Every orbit, every experiment, and every challenge has taught teams how to adapt, grow, and build the skills needed for the next great leaps to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Holidays are often spent in the control rooms, where teams decorate consoles, share potluck meals, and hold the occasional cookie-cutting contest. Engineers in the station’s Mission Evaluation Room (MER) host an annual “MERloween,” a tradition that began in 2006 to celebrate the year’s milestones and reflect on lessons learned.
These traditions highlight the spirit and teamwork that make every mission possible. The dedication honed through decades of mission support now guides the teamwork and expertise that will send Artemis astronauts to the Moon and beyond.
Flight controllers in mission control celebrate the holidays while supporting crews aboard the space station.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Painting hope beyond Earth
NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, the first person to watercolor in space, paints aboard the space station.
NASA
Former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott became the first person to watercolor in space during her time aboard the orbiting laboratory. Inspired by the beauty of Earth from orbit, she used her art to connect the science of human spaceflight with the creativity that defines it.
After returning to Earth, Stott helped launch the Space for Art Foundation, which unites children around the world through the healing power of art and space. One of its most meaningful initiatives, the Spacesuit Art Project, invites young patients undergoing cancer treatment to create colorful artwork that is transformed into custom-made spacesuits. Each suit – Hope, Courage, Unity, Victory, Dreamer, Exploration, Beyond, and Infinity – celebrates the imagination and resilience of its creators.
Four of these suits have journeyed to and from the orbiting laboratory, where astronauts wore them during special downlinks to speak with the patients and raise awareness for childhood cancer research. The project shows that space exploration is not only about discovery, but about compassion, creativity, and the human spirit that connects us all.
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