The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is scheduled to launch its Martian Moons Exploration mission on October 19, 2026. The spacecraft aims to characterize Phobos and Deimos and return a sample of Phobos to Earth. NASA is contributing scientific instruments, including a gamma-ray and neutron spectrograph and a pneumatic sampler, to help determine whether the moons are captured asteroids or the result of a massive impact on Mars. The spacecraft is expected to arrive at Mars in August 2027.
Satellite Imagery Maps Power Outages From Hurricane Isaias
Following Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall near Destin, Florida, on October 9, 2026, as a Category 2 storm, NASA researchers used high-definition nighttime lights imagery from the NOAA-20 satellite to monitor power disruptions and recovery. The Black Marble HD product revealed sharp decreases in lighting across parts of Pensacola and along the U.S. Route 98 corridor, highlighting widespread infrastructure impacts. By October 14, regional lighting patterns had largely returned to pre-storm conditions, providing emergency responders with actionable data to assess restoration efforts.
NASA scientists are tracking a natural El Niño climate pattern that has developed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there is an 83 percent chance that this is the strongest El Niño event recorded since 1950. Satellite altimeters and radiometers observed Kelvin waves transferring heat eastward, raising sea surface heights and temperatures by about 3 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, data from the PACE satellite showed a reduction in equatorial phytoplankton as nutrient-rich upwelling decreased.
Written with AI from original reports. Source names and report dates are shown with each story.
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