Space Center Houston CEO discusses new master plan as lawmakers tout bill to move shuttle
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Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
NASA astronaut captures rare phenomenon from 250 miles above Earth: See photo of 'sprite'
A NASA astronaut drifting high above Earth recently managed to capture a rare phenomenon that scientists have been working to understand for about three decades. Known as a "sprite," the atmospheric event is associated with lightning and is incredibly difficult to capture from the ground since it typically occurs about 50 miles high above the clouds. But on the International Space Station, which orbits about 250 miles above Earth, astronaut Nichole Ayers has a better view of weather systems. That cosmic vantage, and her budding expertise in astral photography, is what allowed Ayers to snap a stunning photo of a sprite. Space Shuttle Discovery: Trump 'Big Beautiful Bill' provides $85 million to move a NASA space shuttle Here's what to know about "sprites," as well as a look at what Ayers photographed. As the space station drifted on the morning of July 3 over Mexico and the U.S., Ayers spotted and captured a rare phenomenon known as a "sprite" far below that's only triggered by thunderstorms. As Ayers explained, sprites are what scientists refer to as transient luminous events (TLEs) that happen above the clouds during periods of intense electrical activity, like lightning. "Just. Wow," Ayers said on social media. Sprites, named for mythical fairy-like creatures, appear when lightning interacts with nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere to create an electrical breakdown that produces flashes of red light. Sometimes, the sprites appear to have long red tendrils that lend the nickname "jellyfish sprites," according to NASA's Earth Observatory, which shares satellite images of Earth. The phenomenon can also be difficult to photograph from Earth, as the night sky must be clear of clouds. But astronauts on the space station have a unique vantage that allows them to set up cameras on the outpost's cupola to capture timelapse sequences with a broad field of view. Scientists still know very little about sprites, but photos like the one Ayers managed to snap should help them learn more. "We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms," Ayers concluded in her post. This isn't the first time Ayers' astral photography has led to some stunning images. In May, Ayers posted photos on social media site X of lightning roiling far, far beneath the International Space Station. In Ayers' post on X, she said she first observed lightning May 1 while suited up for a spacewalk outside the orbital outpost. She then managed to capture a few photos the next day, which she shared May 5. Fellow NASA astronaut Anne McClain also photographed the rare phenomenon. Ayers, who made headlines in May for completing a rare all-female spacewalk, is one of 11 people living aboard the International Space Station. Ayers arrived at the orbital laboratory in March as part of a joint NASA and SpaceX mission known as Crew-10. Also on the mission is NASA astronaut Anne McClain, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. That mission also made headlines due to its role in paving the way for the NASA astronauts who crewed the doomed Boeing Starliner to depart with the Crew-9 mission. The Crew-10 spacefarers are all part of Expedition 73 at the space station, where they are spending at least six months conducting scientific research and working to maintain the station. Expedition 73 also includes NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the ISS in April with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Rounding out the orbital residents is the crew of a commercial spaceflight known as Axiom Mission 4. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary reached the space station June 25 on a two-week mission and are due to return home in the days ahead, though a date has not been announced. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a sprite? NASA astronaut snaps rare weather event from space
Gizmodo
04-07-2025
- Gizmodo
Ted Cruz's Bid to Reclaim Space Shuttle Discovery Could Cost $400 Million
At a time when money is too tight for NASA's science exploration endeavors, Texas senators are willing to pour millions into a risky process to relocate the Space Shuttle to Houston under the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill, which passed the Senate on Tuesday, includes a provision to move the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum in Virginia to Space Center Houston. The Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act was added to the Senate's version of the bill as part of an additional $10 billion in funding for NASA. The bill sets aside $85 million to relocate the Shuttle and build a facility in Houston to house it, but the Smithsonian argues it would cost somewhere between $300 and $400 million to move the massive spacecraft across the country, according to the Houston Business Journal. The Smithsonian also raised concern that the Shuttle could be damaged during the relocation process given the 'extremely complex and difficult' move. The Discovery Relocation Act was first introduced by Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn in April, calling on NASA and the Smithsonian to develop a plan to relocate Discovery. It provided no less than $5 million to move the Shuttle to its new home, and the remaining $80 million will go toward building its new display facility at Space Center Houston. Space Center Houston is the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center, home to mission control for the Space Shuttle program. All launches took place at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but more than 100 Shuttle missions were managed from Houston. Discovery made its inaugural flight on August 30, 1984, and completed a total of 39 missions over the span of 27 years. Discovery was the first Shuttle to return to flight after both the Challenger and Columbia disasters in 1988 and 2005, respectively, leading recovery missions that breathed new life into the iconic program. Discovery also launched the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990 and helped in the assembly of the International Space Station. For the past 13 years, Discovery has been on display at the Smithsonian. Three other Shuttles are also on display in different parts of the country; Enterprise is at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York; Atlantis is at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and Endeavor is currently being set up for display at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles. Considering its long history with spaceflight, Houston feels left out and wants a Shuttle of its own. After the Shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA selected the museums to display the retired spacecraft. NASA called on museums and science centers across the country to apply to host one of the Shuttles, and its selection criteria were based on national significance, ability to properly house the spacecraft, resources, and geographic distribution. Not everyone was happy, and the agency's process was highly scrutinized. At the time, 16 members of the Texas delegation wrote a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, referring to the selection process as the 'Houston Shuttle Snub.' However, NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the agency's selection process and found no wrongdoing. 'We found no evidence that the White House, politics, or any other outside force improperly influenced the selection decision,' James Mitzelfeld, OIG investigative counsel, said in a video statement at the time. The Texans are still not happy, it seems. 'There's no question the Smithsonian is a national treasure, but it doesn't hold all the treasures that America has to show,' Cornyn said during a press conference on June 20, collectSPACE reported. 'It would be nice if there were more to go around, but since there are only four, we are going to get the one that we should have gotten back in 2010.'
The Hill
03-07-2025
- The Hill
Space Shuttle Discovery would move to Texas under GOP megabill
The Space Shuttle Discovery would move to Texas under President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' according to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Cornyn's office said in a statement on his website that Trump's megabill 'would authorize' Discovery's shipment to 'an entity' close to Houston's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. It is currently on display at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia. 'Houston has long been the cornerstone of our nation's human space exploration program, and it's long overdue for Space City to receive the recognition it deserves by bringing the Space Shuttle Discovery home,' Cornyn said in the statement, posted on Monday. 'I am glad to see this pass as part of the Senate's One Big Beautiful Bill and look forward to welcoming Discovery to Houston and righting this egregious wrong,' he added. Discovery, which took its last flight in 2011, spent a year in space while it was in service and travelled almost 150 million miles, according to the Smitsonian 'Houston has long stood at the heart of America's human spaceflight program, and this legislation rightly honors that legacy,' Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in Cornyn's release 'It ensures that any future transfer of a flown, crewed space vehicle will prioritize locations that have played a direct and vital role in our nation's manned space program, making Houston, Texas, a leading candidate,' he added. House Republicans advanced the 'big, beautiful bill' early Thursday morning, overcoming an important procedural hurdle toward a final vote following a dramatic vote that Republican leaders left open for hours to calm an internal revolt. The Hill has reached out to the National Air and Space Museum for comment.
