The Pentagon quickly rebuilt after the traumatic events of Sept. 11, 2001, and an important addition to the grounds is the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial honoring those who were lost.
Source: www.war.gov
NASA Adds Relativity Space’s Terran R to Launch Services Contract
Credit: NASA
A NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract has been awarded by the agency to Relativity Space Inc., and its Terran R launch service in accordance with the contract’s on-ramp provision. The Terran R launch service will be available to NASA’s launch services to use for future missions.
The NLS II contracts are multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with an ordering period through June 2030 and an overall period of performance through December 2032. The NLS II contracts include an on-ramp provision that provides an opportunity annually for new launch service providers to compete for future missions and allows existing contractors to introduce launch vehicles not currently on their NLS II contracts.
The NLS II contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, Science Mission Directorate, and the Research and Technology Mission Directorate. Under the contract, NASA also can provide launch services to other government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NASA’s Launch Services Program Office at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida manages the NLS II contracts. For more information about NASA, visit:
-end-
Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
[email protected] / [email protected]
Amanda Griffin
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-593-6244
[email protected]
Source: www.nasa.gov
APOD: 2026 September 10 – LDN 1295: The Giraffe Nebula
APOD
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
LDN 1295: The Giraffe Nebula
Explanation: What does this image look like to you? Many see a giraffe facing right, with neck stretched high and long legs mid-stride (but some may see a squirrel instead). The featured image shows LDN 1295, also called the Giraffe Nebula, in the constellation of the mythical queen of Aethiopia (Cassiopeia). It is an object in the Lynds Catalogue of Dark Nebulas, compiled in 1962 by American astronomer Beverly Lynds, a pioneer for women in astronomy and astrophysics. Dark nebulas are interstellar clouds of dust and gas that block the visible light of the stars behind them. These nebulas are often faint and challenging targets for astrophotographers. Why do we see animal shapes and faces in nebulas, clouds, and pretty much everywhere? It is due to pareidolia, our tendency to look for familiar patterns. Pareidolia may provide animals with an evolutionary advantage, for example in identifying (and avoiding) predators.
APOD’s main NASA site is moving : From apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture: freewheeling
| Date | September 10, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Credit & Copyright | Alessandro Merga |
| Authors & editors: | Cecilia Chirenti, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Keighley Rockcliffe |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |
Source: science.nasa.gov
Dust and Water in Sagittarius A*
ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, F. Peißker, J. Lu, F. Yusef-Zadeh, N. B. Sabha, C. Chan
A brilliant concentration of stars takes center stage in this Aug. 11, 2026, image taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Webb observed IRS 3, a star near the end of its life cycle, located within this starfield. Webb’s mid-infrared data revealed the clear signature of oxygen-rich silicate dust, as well as, for the first time, water, in its surrounding dust envelope.
Read more about this discovery.
Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, F. Peißker, J. Lu, F. Yusef-Zadeh, N. B. Sabha, C. Chan
Source: www.nasa.gov
NASA, NFL Team Up to Showcase Space, Aeronautics Innovation
A football floats in microgravity aboard the International Space Station, high above the Earth.
Credit: NASA
Through a new collaboration between NASA and the National Football League (NFL), the agency will soon bring America’s strengths in space exploration and aeronautics innovation to the football field.
NASA will conduct flyovers, astronaut appearances, and fan engagement at NFL games across the United States as part of its new Inspiration Tour.
“This is the first season NASA is taking part in flyovers at NFL games, bringing the excitement of America’s space program directly to fans across the country,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “We’re returning to the Moon, building a Moon Base, advancing fission-powered spacecraft, and pushing the boundaries in aeronautics, science, and discovery. Achieving those ambitions will take the very best of America, and partnering with the NFL gives us an incredible platform to inspire the next generation to look up and imagine the possibilities.”
NASA participation is targeted for the following games. Additional details will be released prior to each game, and more dates may be added:
- 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons in Pittsburgh
- 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 20: Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints in Baltimore
- 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams in Philadelphia
- 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11: New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Flyovers scheduled at some of the games will showcase NASA’s fleet of aircraft, which are used for high-speed testing, high-altitude research, astronaut training, and more. Regularly flying the aircraft maintains the health of the fleet and publicly demonstrates new technologies that may be applied to future commercial air travel.
With stops across the nation and led by Isaacman, NASA’s Inspiration Tour convenes academic, industry, and public sector stakeholders to connect the agency with the people, technologies, and organizations that drive American leadership in space.
The tour will culminate in MAX POWER, a public exposition of American air and space innovation, Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, on and near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Held in honor of America’s historic 250th anniversary, the multi-day, family-friendly event will showcase the next-generation aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles, and technologies that will help define the future of transportation in air and space.
For more information about MAX POWER and the agency’s missions, visit:
-end-
Camille Gallo / Jessica Taveau
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
[email protected] / [email protected]
Source: www.nasa.gov
Dust Storm Sweeps Over Mali
As summer winds down in West Africa, so does much of the region’s dust activity. Dust storms can still occur, though, as one did in early September 2026, when a plume covered parts of Mali and neighboring countries.
The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image on September 5, 2026. According to Tianle Yuan, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, storms like this one are often associated with haboobs—powerful dust storms driven by strong convective winds.
In the days after this image was acquired, a wider satellite view showed aerosols from the region moving westward and spilling over the Atlantic Ocean. However, a full transatlantic crossing is unlikely. Such crossings are more common from late spring through summer, when the Saharan Air Layer—a dry, dusty mass of air—can carry dust thousands of miles westward from Africa, riding high in the atmosphere.
Looking ahead, the developing El Niño could reshape these patterns. For instance, Yuan noted that the phenomenon can affect dust over the Sahel and Mali by shifting the Intertropical Convergence Zone and altering convection patterns, though the influence cuts both ways. Drier conditions can leave more loose sediment available for winds to lift, but less convective activity also means fewer intense storms (haboobs) to kick up large dust plumes in the first place. “The connection can be real,” Yuan said, “but hard to pin down for individual events.”
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Kathryn Hansen.
References & Resources
- NASA Earthdata (2021, April 19) Saharan Dust Versus Atlantic Hurricanes. Accessed September 9, 2026.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2021, June 8) Africa Sheds Some Dust. Accessed September 9, 2026.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2020, January 9) A Dusty Journey. Accessed September 9, 2026.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2001, May 18) From the Dust Bowl to the Sahel. Accessed September 9, 2026.
You may also be interested in:
Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.
A Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II
4 min read
An astronaut’s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place in space in a novel…
Article
June 2026 Satellite Puzzler
2 min read
Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.
Article
A Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific
4 min read
The Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.
Article
Source: science.nasa.gov
Memorials at Fort Knox Represent Daily Reminders of 9/11
Four unassuming memorials offer daily reminders of 9/11 at and around Fort Knox, Ky.
Source: www.war.gov
Airman Runs 2,977 Miles Honoring 9/11 Victims
Air Force Capt. Hanna Born is on a personal mission to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by running 2,977 miles — one mile for each person killed that day.
Source: www.war.gov
North Carolina National Guardsman Honors 9/11 Victims With Dual Service
For some, remembering 9/11 means passing the stories of that day from one generation to the next. For others like Army 1st Sgt. Robert Henderson, it means answering the call to serve as a soldier, police officer, firefighter or other first responder.
Source: www.war.gov
NASA Calls for Proposals to Accelerate Lunar Surface Technologies
Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization oxygen production systems, surface power systems, in-space manufacturing tools, and advanced nanomaterials production.
Credit: NASA
NASA is seeking proposals to advance the technology and infrastructure needed to explore the Moon and establish a Moon Base in the lunar South Pole region.
Announced on Tuesday, Sept. 8, the solicitation targets capability gaps, including power generation, oxygen extraction, and producing materials on the Moon required for construction and operations. These technologies are essential to making humanity’s next great leap in lunar exploration.
“NASA is accelerating the development of key technologies and closing critical gaps needed for long-term human exploration at the Moon,” said Greg Stover, director of NASA’s Advanced Research and Technology Division. “Partnering with industry will strengthen the U.S. industrial base as we mature the capabilities and infrastructure needed for a sustainable lunar presence.”
The NextSTEP-3 Broad Agency Announcement Appendix A: Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator solicitation aims to mature and demonstrate capabilities in five areas:
- Vertical solar array technology that can provide consistent power generation, management, distribution, and energy storage.
- In-situ resource utilization oxygen from regolith production to extract usable oxygen molecularly bonded to rock and dust covering the Moon’s surface.
- Radioisotope Stirling generator, a type of nuclear energy technology that uses heat from fissile materials to produce electric power for operating spacecraft systems in the darkest, dustiest, and most remote places.
- In-space advanced manufacturing to reduce reliance on resupply missions from Earth and to optimize mission flexibility and resilience on the Moon.
- Innovative nanomaterials production to advance the commercial availability and quality of nanomaterials that can be used in lunar exploration.
The solicitation intends to cultivate U.S.-led capabilities while maintaining full and open competition among private industry, academic institutions, and not‑for‑profit entities, as well as international partners participating through U.S.-led teams.
NASA may apply insights gained from the resulting contracts of this solicitation, such as technical data, and demonstration results, to shape future acquisition strategies.
To learn more about NextSTEP-3, visit:
-end-
Rob Margetta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
[email protected]
Source: www.nasa.gov