Ian J. O’Neill 💾

🔵 Getting more active on the other place, so stop by and say hi bsky.app/profile/astroe…

Future spacecraft may be able to “think” for themselves. NASA is testing a next-gen space processor that can withstand the harsh conditions of space, while improving computing power. So far, testing shows it operating at 500 times the performance of chips currently in use. go.nasa.gov/4wm7QHL

The metal-rich asteroid Psyche is one of the most fascinating places in the solar system. This gravity assist maneuver will bring NASA’s mission to explore it one step closer to its destination! All about the #MissionToPsyche: science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/

As it passes about 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) from the Martian surface at 12,330 mph (19,840 kph), the #MissionToPsyche team will calibrate the spacecraft’s instruments – and grab some close-up snapshots of the Red Planet! Details: go.nasa.gov/4tsCLPQ 2/2

Go @MissionToPsyche! Love this video produced by @TrueStoryFilms; great collaboration 🛰️🔴💫

Powering the next giant leap. A novel electromagnetic thruster that runs on lithium metal vapor was successfully fired up for the first time during initial tests at JPL. Fully developed and paired with a nuclear power source, these thrusters could reduce launch mass and support payloads required for human Mars missions.

Only one chance in this lifetime… Like watching sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos, I couldn’t resist a cell phone video of Earthset. You can hear the shutter on the Nikon as @Astro_Christina is hammering away on 3-shot brackets and capturing those exceptional Earthset photos through the 400mm lens. @AstroVicGlover was in window 3 watching with @Astro_Jeremy next to him. I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye. Enjoy.

NASA’s SPHEREx mission is mapping “interstellar glaciers.” Researchers believe these ice reservoirs are where most of the universe’s water is formed and stored. Learn more: nasa.gov/missions/spher…

Artemis II may have splashed down, but our photos and videos from the mission are still rolling in! Keep an eye on the latest: nasa.gov/artemis-ii-mul…

The Orion spacecraft’s thrusters ignited for the second return trajectory correction burn to fine‑tune the spacecraft’s path toward Earth. Splashdown of Artemis II is expected around 8:07pm ET on Friday, April 10 (0007 UTC on Saturday, April 11), off the coast of San Diego.

The space toilet is one of the most essential pieces of equipment on board. The crew has had to troubleshoot a few issues to use the Universal Waste Management System. So what exactly is the issue? Find out in this explainer video.

Moon joy [noun] the feeling of intense happiness and excitement that only comes from a mission to the Moon The Artemis II crew bring us endless Moon joy.

Wake up—it's Artemis II's last day in space! As the crew prepares to splash down in the Pacific Ocean this evening, they started their day with "Run To The Water" by Live, their wake-up song played by Mission Control.

Hello, Orion! 🚀 These images of the @NASAArtemis II spacecraft were captured by a JPL research scientist using Caltech’s 200-inch Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory in the early morning of April 2. The telescope stayed locked onto the spacecraft as it burned its engines to reach a higher orbit above Earth.

Hello, Moon. It’s great to be back. Here’s a taste of what the Artemis II astronauts photographed during their flight around the Moon. Check out more photos from the mission: nasa.gov/artemis-ii-mul…

THE ARTEMIS II ECLIPSE. April 6, 2026. Totality, beyond Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun, revealing a view few in human history have ever witnessed. Photo: NASA

Earthset. The Artemis II crew captured this view of an Earthset on April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon. The image is reminiscent of the iconic Earthrise image taken by astronaut Bill Anders 58 years earlier as the Apollo 8 crew flew around the Moon.

The Artemis II crew captured this image showing the rings of the Orientale basin during their lunar flyby on April 6. At the 10 o’clock position of the Orientale basin, the two smaller craters – which the Artemis II crew has suggested be named Integrity & Carroll – are visible.

@NASAArtemis "Integrity, we have you loud and clear." 🚀🌖📡🌏

All I feel is gratitude for this experience.

Nominal translunar injection burn complete. The Artemis II crew is officially on the way to the Moon. America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon. This time, farther than ever before.