Latest Insights from Janet Petro: NASA Update for March 21, 2025

This week, Crew-9 safely returned to Earth. The astronauts—Butch, Suni, Nick, and Aleksandr—splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida on Tuesday afternoon. I want to take a moment to recognize our teams for their remarkable work. They ensured a smooth return and a seamless handover to Crew-10 at the International Space Station this weekend. Our teams excelled in taking on President Trump’s challenge to adapt our mission plan and bring the crew home early. Their professionalism and skill were truly commendable. Following their liftoff, I am excited about the important science investigations and technology demonstrations that Crew-10 will conduct during their stay.

Here are some other recent highlights from NASA:

• New insights into space weather: On March 14, NASA launched the Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) mission. This mission uses a trio of small satellites to study auroral electrojets—intense electric currents in the high atmosphere. Understanding these currents is vital for grasping the effects of space weather on our planet.
• Progressing toward the Moon and Mars: At Kennedy Space Center, teams are busy stacking the Artemis II core stage with boosters for an upcoming mission. They have also installed fairings to protect Orion’s service module during launch. Meanwhile, a new mobile launcher continues to be developed and expanded.
• Technology updates from the Blue Ghost Mission: The SCALPSS 1.1 instrument collected over 9,000 images during Blue Ghost Mission 1, providing insights into lunar landings and even capturing a stunning lunar sunset. NASA’s teams are now analyzing 51 gigabytes of data from this mission.
• Reducing airline delays: In Houston, United Airlines pilots tested NASA-developed technologies aimed at cutting down flight delays. Utilizing methods from the Air Traffic Management Exploration project, they successfully navigated around bad weather upon departure, demonstrating how NASA’s innovations benefit everyone.

On another note, we are launching a new tool for tracking weekly accomplishments. Keep an eye out for an email from Jeff Seaton, our chief information officer. This internal tool should make it easier for you to share your hard work, helping streamline our reporting processes.

We’ve also submitted our initial response to President Trump’s Workforce Optimization Initiative. An internal team has been strategizing on ways to make our organization more efficient, whether by simplifying operations or finding cost-saving measures. This initial submission outlines areas we’ll explore further, aiming to discover the best path forward for our agency. In the coming weeks, we’ll assess where to implement these changes while considering new priorities from the administration.

As I wrap this up, I want to revisit a message I stressed in my earlier emails in this role. I’ve always signed off with “Embrace the Challenge.” This phrase encourages you to face new and stretching tasks head-on. Challenges present opportunities for growth. Since I’ve stepped into this position, we’ve faced unexpected hurdles, but we’ve also risen to meet them. “Embrace the Challenge” isn’t just a motto—it’s a mindset for how we progress. We might not control every decision, but we can choose how we respond and adapt. I’ve seen this team exemplify resilience, support each other, and proudly uphold NASA’s mission. In times of uncertainty, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Embrace the Challenge,

Janet

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