The humble cabbage is trending — and for good reason  The Washington Post

The 5 cool-girl pants that are trending this season, according to stylists  Yahoo

04/21/2026: Cold Start, But Trending Milder  NEWS10 ABC

Leon Draisaitl a full participant in Oilers practice: ‘Trending very well’  The New York Times

Trending Stocks Today: VGT Shoots up 49.79%  Moomoo

1. Xbox cuts Game Pass prices but new Call of Duty games will no longer hit the service on day one  Engadget
2. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Update  Xbox Wire
3. Microsoft cuts Game Pass subscription prices after new Xbox CEO promises to 'recommit' to gamers  CNBC
4. Xbox Game Pass ‘has become too expensive,’ says Microsoft’s new gaming chief in leaked memo  The Verge
5. Microsoft Walks Back Xbox Game Pass Price Hike—Drops ‘Call Of Duty’ Launch Days  Forbes

1. Framework announces Laptop 13 Pro, ‘the MacBook Pro for Linux users’  The Verge
2. Framework Has a Better, More Take-Apart-Able Laptop  WIRED
3. We just tried — and tore down — the Framework Laptop 13 Pro.  The Verge
4. Framework Laptop 16 upgrades make it look less like an unfinished prototype  Ars Technica
5. Framework’s New Ultra-Repairable ‘Pro’ Laptop Lets You Ditch Windows Entirely  Gizmodo

1. Oppo announces the Find X9 Ultra with a 50MP 10x optical zoom telephoto camera  Engadget
2. I was happy with my Pixel camera until I tried the Oppo Find X9 Ultra [Gallery]  9to5Google
3. I love the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but it still can't beat this Android phone from 2025  Android Authority
4. Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Makes the S26 Ultra's camera look like an afterthought  Android Police
5. Oppo Find X9s and Find X9s Pro are official for different markets - GSMArena.com news  GSMArena.com

Former Pinterest team redesigns email with Extra — and it’s actually good  TechCrunch

1. Pixel phones hit with battery drain issue, Google investigating  9to5Google
2. Pixel phones are seeing unusual battery drain after the latest update — and Google is looking into it  Android Central
3. Survey confirms widespread Pixel battery drain issue, and Google has finally noticed  Android Authority
4. Thanks Google, my Pixel 10 now performs like a 2010 budget phone  PhoneArena
5. Google's March update to Android 16 QPR3: Pixel users report numerous bugs  heise online

Continuing NASA’s longtime support of American industry, the agency announced its selection of more than 30 companies to develop innovative technology through its  Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. With these awards, NASA is investing approximately $16.3 million in seed funding of technology solutions to benefit the agency and energize the space economy.

“NASA’s support of early-stage technology, and the businesses driving these innovations, produces critical advancements for our most ambitious endeavors,” said Jason L. Kessler, program executive for NASA’s SBIR/STTR program at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. “We remain committed to fostering small businesses and research institutions that could support America’s presence on the Moon, advance human exploration of Mars, and improve the quality of life on Earth.”

The new awards come from two areas of NASA’s SBIR/STTR Program offering distinct benefits.

Focused on commercialization, the SBIR Ignite initiative gives small businesses a chance to successfully market their technology, even beyond the potential for use in NASA’s missions. The newly selected Phase I contracts – proposed by 15 firms representing 10 states across the country – will receive up to $150,000 to establish the merit and feasibility of their proposed innovation.

Farther down the development path are awardees announced for NASA’s STTR contracts, provided to small businesses partnered with research institutions, aiming to unlock the power and innovative thinking of the country’s universities and research centers. These Phase II awards, with 17 contracts valued at up to $850,000 each, target demonstration, and delivery of innovative technology.

These awardees will perform early-stage research and development in areas such as in-space manufacturing, advanced battery technologies, lunar landings, and advanced propulsion for air and spacecraft.

The projects receiving awards include:

Bio-inspired materials to help robots get a grip in space
SBIR Ignite Phase I award: Nanoscale Labs – Austin, Texas

Grasping objects in space is difficult for robots because traditional vacuum grippers fail in the vacuum of space and debris as well as spacecraft come in unique shapes. To solve this, Nanoscale Labs created a sprayable dry adhesive, inspired by geckos, that offers low-cost manufacturing, stronger adhesion, and self-cleaning resistance to space dust.

Learning to repair and replace in space

SBIR Ignite Phase I award: QuesTek Innovations LLC – Evanston, Illinois

To live and work in space for long durations, future astronauts may need to be welders, fixing and replacing parts as they explore low Earth orbit or deep space. But welding requires gravity, which presents a challenge in the space environment. As a solution, QuesTek Innovations created a simulation toolkit that will use computer modeling to predict how the properties of welded materials change in space and optimize the processes used.

Keeping a closer eye on lightning storms
STTR Phase II award: ASTER Labs, Inc. – Shoreview, Minnesota

Tracking lightning from low Earth orbit offers higher-resolution data but poses unique challenges to rapidly moving satellites due to their limited field of view. To address this, ASTER Labs developed the STORM Module, a software system that can automatically identify, track, and predict the movement of storms in real time. In partnership with the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, ASTER Labs will enhance and test this capability using simulated data and real lightning observations. The system will also be validated laboratory demonstrations, confirming real-time performance under realistic operating conditions. This technology aims to improve severe weather forecasting and may be adapted to track wildfires or floods.

Monitoring astronaut and earthling health with extended reality and AI
STTR Phase II award: Tietronix Software, Inc. – Houston

To support the physical and cognitive health of future astronauts, Tietronix Software and UT Austin Dell Medical School are developing a portable monitoring platform. The system uses sensors, smartphone apps, and AI to track performance and deliver therapies via an extended reality interface. Now undergoing Phase II spaceflight testing, this technology could eventually provide medical assistance to patients in remote environments on Earth.

The complete lists of selected proposals are available for this SBIR Ignite Phase I solicitation and for the STTR Phase II awards on the program’s website.

This year, NASA’s SBIR/STTR program is adopting a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) framework to increase opportunities for small businesses while enhancing agility for the agency. The 2026-2027 BAA appendices, outlining topics and subtopics for desired technology proposals, close May 21. Interested businesses and institutions are encouraged to visit the BAA Information Hub for information on applying.

NASA’s SBIR/STTR program is part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and is managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. To learn more about the program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/sbir_sttr/

On March 21, 2026, NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche took the stage at the Space House event at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, to outline NASA’s next giant leap in human spaceflight — from low Earth orbit to the Moon, and ultimately Mars. 

As NASA prepares for a new era of exploration, Wyche made clear that the agency’s Artemis program is about returning to the Moon and building the systems, partnerships, and workforce that will carry humanity deeper into space than ever before. The vision aligns with agencywide initiatives announced at NASA’s “Ignition” event, which prioritize Artemis mission planning, advance space nuclear power and propulsion research, and position the U.S. at the forefront of innovation. 

Speaking to a packed audience, Wyche spoke about “Why Artemis Changes Everything” and described a rare moment of global alignment. 

“This is now where we’re all committed to do one thing together,” she said, pointing to international and commercial partnerships driving Artemis forward. 

Future missions will increase launch cadence, expand robotic exploration, and lay the groundwork for a sustained human presence. The Moon will become a testing ground to build a lunar base for future deep space exploration, a key step toward enabling missions to Mars. 

Wyche began with the foundation of modern exploration: the International Space Station. For 25 years, astronauts have lived and worked continuously aboard the orbiting laboratory, advancing science and testing technologies critical for deep space missions. 

She emphasized the station’s role as a proving ground for systems, operations, and crew performance – capabilities that will be carried forward into lunar and eventually interplanetary missions. 

Low Earth orbit remains a critical domain while maintaining a strong U.S. presence to support research, technology development, and crew training. 

NASA’s approach has evolved alongside that work. The agency is working with commercial companies to deliver cargo, transport crews, and develop future destinations in low Earth orbit.  

“With the Artemis program, we’ve been able to keep going on what we call a Moon to Mars strategy,” Wyche said. “That’s allowing us to develop the capabilities – some that we’re testing on the International Space Station for Mars, some that we’re testing for the Moon – but it will allow us to do that together.” 

Johnson Lead Public Affairs Officer Nilufar Ramji spoke during the “The Cosmos Has Entered the Chat” session, highlighting how communication and collaboration are driving this new era of exploration. As co-executive producer for NASA’s live broadcasts, Ramji leads efforts to connect global audiences with the agency’s missions. 

“The different sectors that intersect with space, the storytelling aspect, but more importantly doing it collaboratively, is so important to make space accessible for everybody,” Ramji said. “That’s a really big part of NASA working with different organizations to do just that.” 

She pointed to recent commercial lunar missions supported by NASA, including Blue Ghost Mission 1, which delivered NASA payloads to the Moon’s Mare Crisium, and Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission, which landed near the lunar South Pole. These missions are part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, expanding access to the Moon through industry partnerships. 

Companies like Axiom Space are also developing next-generation technologies, including advanced spacesuits designed for the lunar environment, while NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program is supporting the growth of privately operated destinations in orbit. 

At the same time, international participation continues to grow. More than 60 countries have signed the Artemis Accords, committing to peaceful and cooperative exploration. 

Wyche noted that these partnerships go beyond agreements and are reflected in real mission contributions. International partners are helping build the systems needed for sustained exploration. 

Some nations are providing major elements, such as rovers and habitation systems, while others contribute research, technology, and operational support. 

Expanded commercial and international partnerships will be essential to NASA’s three-phase plan to build a permanent lunar base. The effort begins with robotic landings and surface operations, advances to infrastructure supported by international partners, and ultimately establishes the framework for a sustained human presence on the Moon. 

“There is much more opportunity for companies all around the world to be a part of this,” Wyche said. 

Wyche explained that Artemis missions will chart a new path to the Moon, focusing on regions like the lunar South Pole and exploring approaches Apollo never pursued. 

At Johnson, that future is already taking shape through analog missions like CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), where crews live inside a 3D-printed habitat for a year to simulate the physical and psychological demands of deep space travel. 

Wyche also highlighted the growing ecosystem in Texas, including Exploration Park and the Texas Space Institute, where government, industry, and academia are working together to test hardware, robotics, and surface systems. This effort supports integrated testing and rapid development of exploration systems before deployment to the Moon and beyond. 

Both Wyche and Ramji emphasized that commercial partnerships help NASA go farther and move faster, expanding human space exploration. From student programs and internships to workforce development, the need to inspire and prepare the next generation is greater than ever. 

“We don’t go to space just for each individual,” Wyche said. “We go because we’re trying to go for humanity, and that’s what we get to do together.” 

Every second counts in the life-saving world of medical transplants. To help address that urgency, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is teaming up with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to explore faster, more reliable ways to transport donor organs using advanced aviation technologies. 

NASA Langley and UNOS will collaborate under a new Space Act Agreement announced during a ceremony Tuesday at UNOS’ headquarters in Richmond, Va. 

The partnership brings together NASA’s expertise in aviation research and UNOS’ role at the center of the U.S. transplant network. UNOS is a nonprofit organization that manages parts of the national organ donation and transplant system under contract with the federal government and has long supported innovation across the system.

While organs are routinely transported between cities by aircraft, ground logistics can introduce time-sensitive challenges, especially in congested or hard-to-reach areas. Through this agreement, NASA will apply its aeronautics expertise and flight research capabilities to evaluate whether drones can help reduce those delays, improve delivery timelines, potentially improving medical outcomes.  

“This is a chance to apply NASA Langley technology to a real-world problem that can save people’s lives who are waiting for transplants,” said John Koelling, director, Aeronautics Research Directorate at NASA Langley. “There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your technical work have a positive impact on people’s lives.” 

The collaboration focuses on identifying key challenges in organ transportation and determining how NASA-developed tools such as advanced modeling, flight planning, sensing technologies, and safety systems can help. It allows UNOS and NASA to design research that meets medical field standards.

The work also includes evaluating how drones perform when carrying sensitive biological materials in realistic environments. The first test will be conducted using NASA Langley’s City Environment Range Testing for Autonomous Integrated Navigation (CERTAIN), which provides a unique capability to safely fly drones in real-world conditions beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without the need for ground-based spotters. This capability enables researchers to explore longer-distance and more complex delivery scenarios that better reflect the time-sensitive nature of organ transport. 

After the initial flight evaluations, an animal test organ will be assessed to determine whether it remains viable for transplant, including assessing factors such as temperature stability and potential tissue damage caused by a lack of blood flow. 

“The idea that something of worldwide benefit could be created in our own backyard is pretty exciting,” Koelling said.  

For NASA, the agreement demonstrates how technologies developed for aviation and space can directly benefit people on Earth. For UNOS, the partnership reflects its commitment to exploring innovative solutions to strengthen the organ donation and transplant system.

If early drone testing proves successful, the partnership may expand to further evaluate operational feasibility and scalability, helping determine whether drones could become a viable option for time-critical medical deliveries. 

“It feels great that we’ve made real steps forward in research that is paving the way for life-saving measures using drones,” said Lena Pascale, regional partnerships lead, Strategic Partnerships Office at NASA Langley. 

As this collaboration progresses, it highlights how NASA Langley’s research and expertise could revolutionize the medical transplant process, make a lasting impact on patient care, and save lives.

Kimiko Booker
NASA Langley Research Center

NASA successfully sent four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, setting the stage for future lunar landing missions. As the agency continues to push the bounds of space exploration, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley provided essential support in preparing for the mission. 

Artemis II was the first crewed test flight under NASA’s Artemis program. Launching on April 1, 2026, the mission demonstrated systems and hardware needed for deep space missions. Four astronauts – NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA’s (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen – spent approximately 10 days traveling around the Moon and back inside the Orion spacecraft. The test flight built on lessons learned and results from the uncrewed test flight of Artemis I, which launched on November 16, 2022.

Ames continued to build on its contributions from Artemis I, advancing research, engineering, science, and technology for Artemis II. 

Orion Spacecraft

After the crew set eyes on the far side of the Moon, making observations that will help us prepare for future lunar exploration, they began a four-day journey home. Orion returned home to Earth on a free return trajectory, being naturally pulled back by Earth’s gravity and entering the atmosphere at about 25,000 mph. Its heat shield protected the spacecraft from temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentry. 

NASA learned from Artemis I that Orion’s heat shield experienced more char loss than expected, caused by internal gas buildup during reentry. While Artemis I was uncrewed, flight data showed that had crew been aboard, they would have been safe. Engineers used revised analysis methods and extensive arc jet material testing to help understand root cause, reproduce the char loss, and ensured the heat shield would perform as intended during Orion’s return to Earth on a modified trajectory.  

Ames engineers and researchers developed a suite of sensors to provide heat shield performance data during reentry, including temperature and pressure information. Ames also contributed to Orion’s 3D-MAT compression pads, which connect the crew module to the service module. This technology maintains strength under extreme heat while insulating the spacecraft. Developed through collaboration with small businesses, 3D-MAT demonstrates how NASA innovations can impact human spaceflight and beyond. 

Understanding the heating conditions Orion faced during reentry as well as potential abort scenarios was key to mission success. The Ames Aerosciences team provided support in these key aerothermal simulations and developed an innovative tool that combines onboard pressure sensor data from Orion with advanced computer modeling. The result predicted the spacecraft’s path back to Earth more accurately, making reentry safer, more precise, and improving mission confidence. 

Space Launch System 

The SLS rocket experienced higher-than-expected vibrations near the solid rocket booster attach points during Artemis I, caused by unsteady airflow between the boosters and the core stage. To address this, engineers added four strakes – thin, fin-like structures – to the SLS core stage for Artemis II. These strakes change the airflow and reduce vibration, improving safety during ascent. Ames, in collaboration with other centers, played a key role in validating this solution through supercomputer modeling and advanced wind tunnel testing using Unsteady Pressure Sensitive Paint and high-speed cameras.  

The team also reviewed potential debris impacts and analyzed the impact of strengthening parts of the vehicle after larger-than-expected debris was observed during Artemis I. Ames engineers also supported launch operations by monitoring aerodynamic data and debris analysis in real time.  

This collaboration between wind tunnel engineers, data visualization scientists, and software developers delivered a quick, cost-effective solution that combines physical testing with computational modeling, building on NASA Ames’s history of using supercomputer simulations to further testing and research across the agency. The result is a refined rocket designed and optimized for Artemis II’s historic journey. 

Ames funding through the Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program also led to new innovations that supported both Orion and SLS, including advanced material design, software development, safety sensors, and acoustic modeling. 

Science 

As members of the Artemis II lunar science team, Ames scientists worked with flight operations at NASA’s Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to lead and guide the Artemis II crew through the mission’s lunar observations. Key science objectives included studying lunar color, impact history, tectonic features, and future landing sites, as well as characterizing dynamic events such as impact flashes.   

The Ames scientists have been members of a team that trained the Artemis II crew over several years to use their eyes – remarkably sensitive instruments – to observe, describe, and interpret geologic variations in lunar features during the flyby. After launch, a timeline of targeted observations built by the lunar science team guided the crew to describe and photograph specific lunar targets, including craters, volcanic formations, and surface colorations. These firsthand observations, paired with imagery from Orion, create a unique dataset to inform future human exploration of the Moon. 

Mission Assurance 

Ames also supported mission assurance through its Mission and Fault Management team, which helps the agency anticipate and respond to potential problems by testing systems, verifying software, and creating tools to detect issues early through simulation and scenario testing.  

The Cross-Program Integrated Data Systems team at Ames developed a suite of software products to support flight readiness, risk assessment, and decision making up to the moment of launch. 

During Artemis II, Ames experts served as backup console operators and contributed to real-time analysis, helping NASA respond quickly to unexpected conditions. These efforts strengthened the reliability of critical systems and reduced risk for the crew. 

Ames experts are heavily involved in the post-flight data analysis effort assessing the performance of the Mission and Fault Management logic during the Artemis II flight. 

Learn more: 

Ames contributions to Artemis I: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/what-are-ames-contributions-to-artemis-i/  

For news media: 

Artemis II press kit: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-press-kit/  

Members of the news media interested in covering this topic should reach out to the NASA Ames newsroom. 

NASA was recognized today by the 30th Annual Webby Awards with two Webby Awards and five Webby People’s Voice Awards, the latter of which are awarded by the voting public. Reflecting the tremendous growth of the Internet, The Webbys now honors excellence in 8 major media types: Websites & Mobile Sites; Video & Film; Advertising, Media & PR; Podcasts; Social & Games; Apps, Software & Immersive; Creators; and new this year, AI.

Since 1998, NASA has been nominated for more than 100 Webby Awards, winning 51 Webbys and 72 People’s Voice Awards.

Full List of NASA’s 30th Annual Webby Award Wins

NASA’s Curious Universe Podcast | Earth Series
Webby Winner, People’s Voice Winner
Podcasts, Health, Science and Education (Limited Series and Specials)

NASA’s Webb Telescope and the Universe: Using Social Media to Connect Us All
Webby Winner, People’s Voice Winner
Social, Education and Science

NASA Astronauts Posts From Space
People’s Voice Winner
Social, Education and Science

Hearing Hubble
People’s Voice Winner
Apps, Software and Immersive, Science and Education

Houston We Have a Podcast | Artemis II: The Mission
People’s Voice Winner
Podcasts, Science and Education (Individual Episodes)

About the Webby Awards

Established in 1996 during the web’s infancy, The Webbys is presented by the IADAS—a 3000+ member judging body. The Academy is comprised of Executive Members—leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries, and creative celebrities—and associate members who are former Webby winners, nominees and other internet professionals.

The Webby Awards presents two honors in every category—the Webby Award and the Webby People’s Voice Award. Members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) select the nominees for both awards in each category, as well as the winners of the Webby Awards. In the spirit of the open web, the Webby People’s Voice is chosen by the voting public, and garners millions of votes from all over the world.

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