Latest news with #T-38A
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NASA Astronaut Unexpectedly Captures a Stunning Video of the Northern Lights from Space
Nichole Ayers unexpectedly captured a video of the northern lights from space The NASA astronaut shared her footage on X, explaining that she "wasn't expecting it" when she filmed and got a "nice surprise" as a result The clip featured a beautiful pan of the phenomenon that dazzled in shares of blues, greens, oranges and reds around Earth in spaceNichole Ayers was among the stars. The NASA astronaut shared a stunning shot of the northern lights from space in a video posted on X on Friday, May 23, explaining how she captured the dazzling display of the aurora borealis unexpectedly. "The Aurora showed up this last weekend when I wasn't expecting it! I was trying to capture the massive storms that went through both North and South America and got a nice surprise. The Aurora appeared right at sunset over the Northern US and Canada," Ayers wrote on X. Related: Are Solar Storms Dangerous to Humans on Earth? About the Effects, Including Possible Communication Disruption "I'm also fascinated by just how many satellites are orbiting the Earth at any given moment. There's so much to share with you all!" she concluded her caption alongside the video. Ayer's clip featured a mesmerizing pan of Earth from space, twinkling with lights and colors that perfectly contrasted the dark surroundings in the galaxy. The auroras radiated shades of greens, blues and purples — and towards the end of the video, hues of reds and oranges appeared. According to her NASA bio, Ayers, a Colorado native, was selected by the space organization to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class before reporting for duty in January 2022. Ayers has flown missions both nationally and globally as an instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor since she graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in 2011 and a master's degree from Rice University in Houston. On March 14, Ayers embarked on her first spaceflight. She launched as pilot of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission to conduct research, technology demonstrations and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory, per her bio. Related: How to Watch the Northern Lights Display from These Select States Tonight The northern lights have been visible from various parts of the United States in recent months. They form when solar activity, like solar flares or coronal mass ejections (CME), causes magnetic storms. When the storms occur, they trigger interactions between the Earth's magnetic field and charged particles from the sun. Then, a display of beautiful and often vibrant colors results and lights up the night sky. The intensity and location of these storms impact the colors produced. The planetary K index or Kp, which ranges from 0 to 9, measures geomagnetic activity. Related: Northern Lights Illuminate Skies in Rare Showings Across the Country — See the Breathtaking Photos! While the northern lights have been visible from several states across the United States in recent months, October 2024 had a memorable display due to the rare auroras' appearance in states that don't typically see them. The northern lights illuminated night skies across the eastern and southern parts of the country. Stunning purple, pink and green skies were seen in New Jersey, New York, Maine, Connecticut, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
From Divide to the stars: Major Nichole Ayers heads to space on SpaceX Crew-10 mission
(COLORADO) — U.S. Air Force Major Nichole Ayers, a graduate of both the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Woodland Park High School, is preparing for the launch of a lifetime. After being selected as one of just 10 astronaut candidates from over 12,000 applicants in 2021, Ayers is about to make her childhood dream of traveling to space a reality. 'I think for me, I'm excited about the view, getting to see the world from that perspective,' Ayers explained. 'I'm excited to share this experience with this team, but also to see the team we are on the ground, there are no borders, you can't see borders from the space station.' On Wednesday, March 12, Ayers will blast off aboard the SpaceX Crew-10 mission, heading to the International Space Station. The launch is set for 5:48 p.m. local time, and Woodland Park couldn't be prouder. The City of Woodland Park celebrated the exciting news with a post on their Facebook page, asking the community to wish Ayers 'safe travels and a successful mission!' 'I love to highlight Colorado, it's one of my favorite places,' Ayers said. 'As a child, I always had an affinity for the sky, and flying, and for space and then growing up right there in Colorado, next to the Air Force Academy during the shuttle era when I learned you could fly the shuttle, I was like, 'that's what I want to do.' There are plenty of opportunities in Colorado, both outside and inside the school system and it really set me up for success to get where I am today.' Ayers' journey to space began in December 2021, when NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced her selection for NASA's astronaut class. For Ayers, it was the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and a bit of that Southern Colorado grit. After her selection, Ayers dove into two intense years of astronaut training, which covered everything from operating and maintaining the International Space Station's complex systems, to mastering spacewalks, to learning Russian and perfecting her skills on the T-38 training jet. No detail was too small, as Ayers was preparing for one of the most challenging—and exciting—missions of her life. Ayers' academic and athletic background is just as impressive as her space training. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2011 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in Russian, and, fun fact, she also played Division I volleyball during her time there. She later earned a master's degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, all while competing internationally on the USA Armed Forces Team. Before being selected by NASA, Ayers was serving as the assistant director of operations at the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. She's no stranger to flying high—she's an experienced instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor, with missions flown around the globe. Now, as she prepares for her first spaceflight, Ayers will serve as the pilot for NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission. It's a historic moment, not just for Ayers, but for everyone back home in Woodland Park, who will cheer her on as she embarks on this incredible adventure. 'I always say, 'be a good teammate, be a good human, and work hard and you'll get anywhere you want in life,'' Ayers said. So, mark your calendars and send a wave of good luck to Major Nichole Ayers as she takes off next week. It's a major milestone for her, and for Woodland Park, it's proof that dreams really can take you to the stars. For anyone interested, the full NASA SpaceX Crew-10 flight crew news conference can be viewed in the video player above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
USAFA, Woodland Park High School graduate selected for NASA's SpaceX Crew-10
(COLORADO) — Former U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Woodland Park High School graduate from Divide, U.S. Air Force Major Nichole Ayers is headed to space next week after she was selected as one of 10 astronaut candidates from a pool of more than 12,000 applicants by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December of 2021. Now just over three years later, Ayers' dream of going to space is coming true. 'Next week, on [Wednesday, March 12] Nichole and three other astronauts will launch to the International Space Station on the SpaceX Crew-10 mission,' a post read on the City of Woodland Park Government's Facebook page. 'Let's give Nichole our best wishes for a safe and successful mission from Woodland Park! Congratulations, Nichole!' Ayers' selection to the 2021 astronaut class was officially announced by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Dec. 6, 2021. Ayers and nine others began two years of training in January of 2022, which, according to NASA, included 'operating and maintaining the International Space Station's complex systems, training for spacewalks, developing complex robotics skills, safely operating a T-38 training jet, and Russian language skills.' According to NASA, Ayers graduated from USAFA in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a minor in Russian; during her time at the Academy, she also played Division I college volleyball. Ayers then went on to obtain a master's degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston; while pursuing her master's, Ayers also competed internationally on the USA Armed Forces Team. When Ayers was selected by NASA in 2021, at the time she was serving as the assistant director of operations in the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. 'As an instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor, Ayers has flown missions all over the nation and the world,' according to NASA. 'She is currently training for her first spaceflight where she will serve as pilot of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission.' Ayers will be joined by fellow NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov on March 12 as they gear up to launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10. The launch is expected to take place next Wednesday around 6 p.m. local time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
