Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter

Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter

4 min read

Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter

In the largest and one of the most ambitious Hubble Space Telescope programs ever executed, a team of scientists and engineers collected information on almost 500 stars over a three-year period. This effort offers new insights into the stars’ formation, evolution, and impact on their surroundings. 

This comprehensive survey, called ULLYSES (Ultraviolet Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards), was completed in December 2023, and provides a rich spectroscopic dataset obtained in ultraviolet light that astronomers will be mining for decades to come. Because ultraviolet light can only be observed from space, Hubble is the only active telescope that can accomplish this research. 

Graphic in two, stacked parts. The top part shows a roughly circular, wreath-like area of red, orange, beige, brown, and green clouds with many wisps and filaments. In the center of this wreath-like structure is a dark cavity filled with hundreds of sparkling, blue stars. The stars are not evenly distributed, with more on the right half of the image. Some blue stars also appear on top of the surrounding, wispy clouds. The bottom part of the graphic shows a yellowish-white star encircled by concentric, cloudy rings of increasing size. These rings are yellowish-white closest to the star, and they become darker the farther out they go. The farthest rings from the star appear fiery orange, and then become translucent as they trail off into the black background.
Graphic in two, stacked parts. The top part shows a roughly circular, wreath-like area of red, orange, beige, brown, and green clouds with many wisps and filaments. In the center of this wreath-like structure is a dark cavity filled with hundreds of sparkling, blue stars. The stars are not evenly distributed, with more on the right half of the image. Some blue stars also appear on top of the surrounding, wispy clouds. The bottom part of the graphic shows a yellowish-white star encircled by concentric, cloudy rings of increasing size. These rings are yellowish-white closest to the star, and they become darker the farther out they go. The farthest rings from the star appear fiery orange, and then become translucent as they trail off into the black background.
The ULLYSES program studied two types of young stars: super-hot, massive, blue stars and cooler, redder, less massive stars than our Sun. The top panel is a Hubble Space Telescope image of a star-forming region containing massive, young, blue stars in 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula. Located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, this is one of the regions observed by ULLYSES. The bottom panel shows an artist’s concept of a cooler, redder, young star that less massive than our Sun. This type of star is still gathering material from its surrounding, planet-forming disk.
NASA, ESA, STScI, Francesco Paresce (INAF-IASF Bologna), Robert O’Connell (UVA), SOC-WFC3, ESO

“I believe the ULLYSES project will be transformative, impacting overall astrophysics – from exoplanets, to the effects of massive stars on galaxy evolution, to understanding the earliest stages of the evolving universe,” said Julia Roman-Duval, Implementation Team Lead for ULLYSES at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. “Aside from the specific goals of the program, the stellar data can also be used in fields of astrophysics in ways we can’t yet imagine.”

The ULLYSES team studied 220 stars, then combined those observations with information from the Hubble archive on 275 additional stars. The program also included data from some of the world’s largest, most powerful ground-based telescopes and X-ray space telescopes. The ULLYSES dataset is made up of stellar spectra, which carry information about each star’s temperature, chemical composition, and rotation. 

One type of stars studied under ULLYSES is super-hot, massive, blue stars. They are a million times brighter than the Sun and glow fiercely in ultraviolet light that can easily be detected by Hubble. Their spectra include key diagnostics of the speed of their powerful winds. The winds drive galaxy evolution and seed galaxies with the elements needed for life. Those elements are cooked up inside the stars’ nuclear fusion ovens and then injected into space as a star dies. ULLYSES targeted blue stars in nearby galaxies that are deficient in elements heavier than helium and hydrogen. This type of galaxy was common in the very early universe. “ULLYSES observations are a stepping stone to understanding those first stars and their winds in the universe, and how they impact the evolution of their young host galaxy,” said Roman-Duval.  

The other star category in the ULLYSES program is young stars less massive than our Sun. Though cooler and redder than our Sun, in their formative years they unleash a torrent of high-energy radiation, including blasts of ultraviolet light and X-rays. Because they are still growing, they are gathering material from their surrounding planet-forming disks of dust and gas. The Hubble spectra include key diagnostics of the process by which they acquire their mass, including how much energy this process releases into the surrounding planet-forming disk and nearby environment. The blistering ultraviolet light from young stars affects the evolution of these disks as they form planets, as well as the chances of habitability for newborn planets. The target stars are located in nearby star-forming regions in our Milky Way galaxy.

The ULLYSES concept was designed by a committee of experts with the goal of using Hubble to provide a legacy set of stellar observations. “ULLYSES was originally conceived as an observing program utilizing Hubble’s sensitive spectrographs. However, the program was tremendously enhanced by community-led coordinated and ancillary observations with other ground- and space-based observatories,” said Roman-Duval. “Such broad coverage allows astronomers to investigate the lives of stars in unprecedented detail and paint a more comprehensive picture of the properties of these stars and how they impact their environment.”

To that end, STScI hosted a ULLYSES workshop March 11–14 to celebrate the beginning of a new era of research on young stars. The goal was to allow members of the astronomical community to collaborate on the data, so that they could gain momentum in the ongoing analyses, or kickstart new ideas for analysis. The workshop was one important step in exploiting this legacy spectral library to its fullest potential, fulfilling the promise of ULLYSES.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, Colorado, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

Media Contacts:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Ann Jenkins / Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD

Science Contact:

Julia Roman-Duval
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD

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Mar 28, 2024
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Andrea Gianopoulos

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NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Expedition 70 Science Highlights

NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Expedition 70 Science Highlights

4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara is returning home after six months aboard the International Space Station. During her time on the orbiting laboratory, O’Hara contributed to dozens of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to prepare for future space exploration missions and generate innovations and benefits for humanity on Earth.

Here is a look at some of the scientific activities O’Hara conducted during her mission:

Biking for Better Health

O’Hara, wearing a gray t-shirt, maroon pants, and black shoes, smiles at the camera. She is holding on to bars attached to a large metal frame and her feet are strapped into pedals attached to the teal-colored exercise cycle. A hatch into another part of the space station is visible behind her, and laptops, cords, and wires cover the walls around her.
NASA

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara is among the first astronauts participating in the CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations) investigation. CIPHER examines physiological and psychological changes that humans undergo during spaceflight. One of the protocols measures changes in cardiorespiratory and muscle fitness during exercise. Collecting data from crew members on missions of different durations supports development of ways to protect crew member health on a long mission such as a trip to Mars.

Tending the Space Garden

O’Hara is wearing a blue sweatshirt and light blue gloves and smiling at the camera. She has one hand on a tube connected to a large metal box that is lighted inside. The front of the box is open and inside multiple rows of small green plants are visible.
NASA

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works with tomato plants grown for Plant Habitat-06, an investigation using genetic analysis to examine how spaceflight affects plant immune function and production. Results could support development of crops to provide food and other services on future space missions. On Earth, pathogens are responsible for up to 40% of global crop loss, and insight into the interaction between gravity and how plants respond to pathogens could inform strategies to enhance crop growth and productivity.

Reading Radiation Exposure

Mogensen is wearing a long-sleeved green shirt and khaki pants, O’Hara a short-sleeved blue shirt and green pants, Moghbeli a short-sleeved pink shirt and khaki pants, and Furukawa a long-sleeved black shirt and khaki pants. All four are smiling at the camera and holding small pager-sized devices that are white on the front and purple around the edges.
NASA

Crew members pose with active dosimeters: left to right, Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). These devices monitor individual radiation exposure for the International Space Station Internal Radiation Monitoring investigation, which aims to keep ionizing radiation exposure at levels acceptable for maintaining crew member health and safety and ensuring the success of their missions.

Understanding Bone Loss

NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O'Hara works on a bone cell study inside the Life Science Glovebox located inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module. O’Hara was working on the Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-A investigation that may provide a better understanding of space-caused bone loss and aging-related bone conditions on Earth.
NASA

Bone loss is a major problem of aging on Earth and a serious health concern for astronauts. MABL-A (Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-A) examines the effect of microgravity on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which produce bone-forming cells and play a role in making and repairing skeletal tissues. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works inside the Life Science Glovebox for the investigation, which could improve understanding of the mechanisms behind bone loss and support development of ways to better protect crew members and people on Earth from its effects.

Bringing in the Cold

Moghbeli, left, wears a coral-colored t-shirt and O’Hara wears a dark blue t-shirt. Both are smiling at the camera as their curly hair floats around their heads. The white front of the Cold Atom Lab hardware, visible behind them, has multiple hoses and tubes attached to its front.
NASA

NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara pose in front of the Cold Atom Lab. The lab produces clouds of atoms so cold that they have almost no motion, allowing researchers to observe their fundamental behaviors and quantum characteristics. Physicists have long pursued ever colder temperatures, and microgravity may make it possible to achieve those temperatures for longer periods of time. The Cold Atom Lab research could facilitate the development of new quantum technology.

Taking Out the Heat

O’Hara is wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and green pants, with her hair in a ponytail. She is standing in front of the open front of a large, lighted module with two silver boxes inside it, each with multiple hoses and connectors. She is looking at a laptop screen at the top of the module and holding on to the edge of the hardware with her left hand.
NASA

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works on MaRVIn-PCIM (Microgravity Research for Versatile Investigations-Phase Change in Mixtures), which examines the dynamics of liquid and vapor flow inside a wickless heat pipe. These devices, used to dissipate heat to cool satellites and electronics, operate differently in microgravity than on Earth. Results could support development of lighter and more efficient cooling devices for future space exploration.

Preparing for a Walk in Space

O’Hara is inside a white spacesuit with an American flag on the shoulder. Her face is visible through the clear front of the helmet, and she is using her gloved right hand to tuck the suit into the glove of her left hand. The suit is attached to a metal frame on the wall.
NASA

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara tests components of her spacesuit in preparation for a spacewalk. O’Hara and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli conducted a spacewalk together on Nov 1, 2023. It took the duo six hours and 42 minutes to complete tasks that included working on hardware that enables the space station’s solar arrays to track the Sun, helping to provide power for scientific operations on the orbiting lab.

Creating Cardiac Tissues

O’Hara is floating horizontally, smiling at the camera, her arms inside plastic sleeves of the BioFabrication Facility, which is connected to the wall to her right. She is wearing a green t-shirt and khaki pants and has a headset on. Several cords float in front of her.
NASA

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works on the Redwire Cardiac Bioprinting Investigation (BFF Cardiac), which studies bio-printed cardiac tissues. Higher-quality 3D tissues can be printed in microgravity, where density layers, settling, and other effects of gravity are absent. This technology supports development of ways to print food and medicine on demand on future missions, reducing mass and cost at launch and improving crew health and safety. Results also could advance technologies to create replacement organs and tissues for transplant on Earth, helping to alleviate shortages.

Melissa Gaskill
International Space Station Research Communications Team
Johnson Space Center

Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above.

Download full-resolution versions of all photos in this article.

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Ana Guzman

Stunning Echo of 800-year-old Explosion

Stunning Echo of 800-year-old Explosion

Supernova Remnant SNR 1181
X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/U. Manitoba/C. Treturik, (XMM-Newton) ESA/C. Treturik; Optical: (Pan-STARRS) NOIRLab/MDM/Dartmouth/R. Fesen; Infrared: (WISE) NASA/JPL/Caltech/; Image Processing: Univ. of Manitoba/Gilles Ferrand and Jayanne English

In the year 1181 a rare supernova explosion appeared in the night sky, staying visible for 185 consecutive days. Historical records show that the supernova looked like a temporary ‘star’ in the constellation Cassiopeia shining as bright as Saturn.

Ever since, scientists have tried to find the supernova’s remnant. At first it was thought that this could be the nebula around the pulsar — the dense core of a collapse star — named 3C 58. However closer investigations revealed that the pulsar is older than supernova 1181.

In the last decade, another contender was discovered; Pa 30 is a nearly circular nebula with a central star in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is pictured here combining images from several telescopes. This composite image uses data across the electromagnetic spectrum and shows a spectacular new view of the supernova remnant. This allows us to marvel at the same object that appeared in our ancestors’ night sky more than 800 years ago.

X-ray observations by ESA’s XMM-Newton (blue) show the full extent of the nebula and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (cyan) pinpoints its central source. The nebula is barely visible in optical light but shines bright in infrared light, collected by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Space Explorer (red and pink). Interestingly, the radial structure in the image consists of heated sulfur that glows in visible light, observed with the ground-based Hiltner 2.4 m telescope at the MDM Observatory (green) in Arizona, USA, as do the stars in the background by Pan-STARRS (white) in Hawaii, USA.

Studies of the composition of the different parts of the remnant have led scientists to believe that it was formed in a thermonuclear explosion, and more precisely a special kind of supernova called a sub-luminous Type Iax event. During this event two white dwarf stars merged, and typically no remnant is expected for this kind of explosion. But incomplete explosions can leave a kind of ‘zombie’ star, such as the massive white dwarf star in this system. This very hot star, one of the hottest stars in the Milky Way (about 200 000 degrees Celsius), has a fast stellar wind with speeds up to 16,000 km/h. The combination of the star and the nebula makes it a unique opportunity for studying such rare explosions.

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/

Visual Description:

This is a composite image of SNR 1181, the remains of an explosion hundreds of years ago caused by the merger of two stars.

A bright, multi-colored, spherical nebula sits in the middle of the canvas surrounded by a field of stars that appear as white dots. In the center of the nebula is a small point of aqua-colored light. This is the hot white dwarf star that was left behind after the likely merger of two smaller white dwarfs caused an explosion. From this single point of aqua light, several spectacular rays expand outward, resembling a single firework bursting in celebration in the night sky.

News Media Contact

Megan Watzke
Chandra X-ray Center
Cambridge, Mass.
617-496-7998

Jonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034

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Lee Mohon

US House of Representatives Columbia Accident Documents

US House of Representatives Columbia Accident Documents

5 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

House Representative Statements

The following are some of the statements made by Representatives regarding the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

February 1, 2003: Representative Sherwood Boehlert

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Saturday, February 01, 2003
House Science Committee

Boehlert Statement on Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy

WASHINGTON, D.C. —House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) today released the following statement on the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy:

 “We are in a period of national mourning.  Our prayers are dedicated to the heroic crew of the Columbia and their families.  We are reminded again that our nation’s astronauts volunteer to put themselves in situations of inherent risk and that we take their efforts too much for granted. 

“At the same time, in the wake of this horrible event, NASA and the Congress must work together immediately to initiate the most complete and thorough investigation possible in search of all the facts.”

February 1, 2003: Representative Dana Rohrabacher

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Saturday, February 01, 2003
Rep. Rohrabacher

Rohrabacher Reacts to Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) mourns the loss of Columbia’s crew. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the Columbia Space Shuttle crew. This is a horrific loss for the nation as well as the world, but we should not forget the ultimate sacrifice sometime space exploration requires of men and women who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries. We must not lose sight of the fact that our continued drive to the stars serves as a tribute to those who make that sacrifice in the name of humanity. 

Earlier today, NASA officials reported that the families of Columbia’s crew’s have a simple request of our space program: find out what happened, fix it, and move on. No one could say it any better. Now is the time for the Administration and Congress to support the efforts of Sean O’Keefe and the good people of NASA to investigate the events that led up to today’s tragedy. 

Once the problem is identified, we need to get moving on this great adventure as quickly as possible. We must continue to find new ways to improving our space program by discovering new innovative technologies. We must do this for our nation, our children, and for the families of Columbia’s crew.

February 2, 2003: Representative Dave Weldon

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Sunday, February 02, 2003
Rep. Dave Weldon

Rep. Weldon Statement on the Space Shuttle Columbia Accident

Kennedy Space Center, FL —U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon (FL-15) released the following statement in the wake of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident.

I mourn the loss of 7 brave men and women today. These dedicated pioneers — Commander -Rick Husband, Pilot-William McCool, Payload Commander – Michael Anderson, Specialist – Kalpana Chawla, Specialist – David Brown, Specialist – Laurel Clark and Specialist – Ilan Ramon — gave their lives in the name of science and exploration. This is a tragic day for America, for Israel, and for the world and we will forever be in their debt.

While we must learn the cause of this tragedy, and I know NASA will be working diligently to do so, we must not let this deter our exploration efforts. We should never retreat from our progress in space exploration.

We will reevaluate, however, how we conduct our human space flight operations, we will reexamine our processes, and we will learn how to make space flight safer. Then we will return to space. I believe the crew of Columbia would expect nothing less.

“I would ask all Americans, and, indeed, everyone around the world, to keep the families, friends, and colleagues of these heroic astronauts in your thoughts and prayers. Their contribution to opening the frontier will not be forgotten,” said Rep. Weldon.

House Committee on Science Hearings

The following are some of the hearing charters, hearing transcripts, and opening statements for some of the various House Committee on Science hearings regarding Columbia.

February 12, 2003

House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation—Joint Hearing on Space Shuttle Columbia

This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, 108th Congress – 1st Session Web site and on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s website.

February 27, 2003

Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s FY 2004 Budget Request

This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website.

September 4, 2003

Full Committee Hearing on The Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report

This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website.

September 10, 2023

Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s Response to the Columbia Report

This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website.

October 29, 2003

Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s Organizational and Management Challenges in the Wake of the Columbia Disaster

This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website.

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Mar 27, 2024

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Michele Ostovar

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit to Conduct Science During Fourth Mission

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit to Conduct Science During Fourth Mission

NASA astronaut Don Pettit poses for a crew portrait at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
NASA

During his fourth mission to the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Don Pettit will serve as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 71/72 crew. After blasting off to space, Pettit will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare crew for future space missions.

Pettit will launch on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft in September 2024, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The trio will spend approximately six months aboard the orbital laboratory.

NASA selected Pettit as an astronaut in 1996. A veteran of three spaceflights, he made integral advancements in technology and demonstrations for human exploration. He served as a science officer for Expedition 6 in 2003, operated the robotic arm for STS-126 space shuttle Endeavour in 2008, and served as a flight engineer for Expedition 30/31 in 2012. Pettit has logged 370 days in space and conducted two spacewalks totaling 13 hours and 17 minutes.

The Expedition 6 crew launched on STS-113 space shuttle Endeavour expecting to return on STS-114 space shuttle Discovery after a two and a half month mission. Following the space shuttle Columbia accident that grounded the shuttle fleet, the crew returned on the Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft after five and a half months, landing in Kazakhstan. On his next 16-day mission, STS-126, Pettit helped expand the living quarters of the space station and installed a regenerative life support system to reclaim potable water from urine. During Expedition 30/31, Pettit also captured the first commercial cargo spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon, using the robotic arm.

A native from Silverton, Oregon, Pettit holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University, Corvallis, and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona, Tucson. Prior to his career with NASA, Pettit worked as a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

For more than two decades, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA is able to focus more of its resources on deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.

Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on the station blog, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Julian Coltre / Claire O’Shea
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov

Courtney Beasley
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov

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Abbey A. Donaldson