{ "id": 12630, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12630/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NICER Mission Overview", "description": "The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload, destined for the exterior of the space station, will study the physics of neutron stars, providing new insight into their nature and behavior. These stars are called “pulsars” because of the unique way they emit light – in a beam similar to a lighthouse beacon. As the star spins, the light sweeps past us, making it appear as if the star is pulsing. Neutron stars emit X-ray radiation, enabling the NICER technology to observe and record information about their structure, dynamics and energetics. The payload also includes a technology demonstration called the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) which will help researchers to develop a pulsar-based space navigation system. Pulsar navigation could work similarly to GPS on Earth, providing precise position and time for spacecraft throughout the solar system.The 2-in-1 mission launched on June 3, 2017 aboard SpaceX's eleventh contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station. The payload arrived at the space station in the Dragon spacecraft, along with other cargo, on June 5, 2017. || ", "release_date": "2017-06-01T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:47:37.170120-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 413817, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a012600/a012630/NICER-overview-cover_print.jpg", "filename": "NICER-overview-cover_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Music credit: Killer Tracks, Shifting Reality", "width": 1024, "height": 575, "pixels": 588800 }, "main_video": null, "main_credits": { "Produced by": [ { "name": "Clare Skelly", "employer": "NASA/GSFC" } ] }, "progress": "Complete", "media_groups": [ { "id": 330246, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12630/#media_group_330246", "widget": "Basic text with HTML", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload, destined for the exterior of the space station, will study the physics of neutron stars, providing new insight into their nature and behavior. These stars are called “pulsars” because of the unique way they emit light – in a beam similar to a lighthouse beacon. As the star spins, the light sweeps past us, making it appear as if the star is pulsing. Neutron stars emit X-ray radiation, enabling the NICER technology to observe and record information about their structure, dynamics and energetics. The payload also includes a technology demonstration called the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) which will help researchers to develop a pulsar-based space navigation system. Pulsar navigation could work similarly to GPS on Earth, providing precise position and time for spacecraft throughout the solar system.

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"items": [], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "gms", "funding_sources": [ "PAO" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Clare Skelly", "employer": "NASA/GSFC" } ] }, { "role": "Narrator", "people": [ { "name": "Joy Ng", "employer": "USRA" } ] }, { "role": "Animator", "people": [ { "name": "Walt Feimer", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" }, { "name": "Lisa Poje", "employer": "USRA" } ] } ], "missions": [ "Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER)" ], "series": [], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Universe" ], "keywords": [ "Astrophysics", "Black Hole", "Blazar", "Galaxy", "Gamma Ray Burst", "Neutron Star", "NICER", "Pulsar", "Space", "Star", "Supernova", "Universe", "X-ray" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 13214, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13214/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NICER's Night Moves", "description": "This image of the whole sky shows 22 months of X-ray data recorded by NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload aboard the International Space Station during its nighttime slews between targets. NICER frequently observes targets best suited to its core mission (“mass-radius” pulsars) and those whose regular pulses are ideal for the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) experiment. One day they could form the basis of a GPS-like system for navigating the solar system.Credits: NASA/NICER || NICERNightMoveslabels.jpg (3299x1650) [13.7 MB] || ", "release_date": "2019-05-30T10:45:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:45:56.069389-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 395594, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013200/a013214/NICERNightMovesnolabels.jpg", "filename": "NICERNightMovesnolabels.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Unlabeled version of above.Credits: NASA/NICER", "width": 3299, "height": 1650, "pixels": 5443350 } }, { "id": 12668, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12668/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NICER in Space", "description": "Several cameras on the International Space Station (ISS) have eyes on NICER. Since arriving to the space station on June 5 – aboard SpaceX’s eleventh cargo resupply mission – NICER underwent robotic installation on ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 2, initial deployment, precise point tests and more. This video shows segments of NICER’s time in space. Scientists and engineers will continue to watch NICER, using these cameras, throughout the mission’s science operations. || ", "release_date": "2017-07-17T13:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:47:33.145514-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 413010, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a012600/a012668/NICER-in-space-thumb_print.jpg", "filename": "NICER-in-space-thumb_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Music Credit: KillerTracks, Strange Reality (KOK2310-11)", "width": 1024, "height": 568, "pixels": 581632 } }, { "id": 12605, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12605/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "What is a Neutron Star?", "description": "Here's just some of what we already know about neutron stars. An upcoming NASA mission will further investigate these unusual objects from the International Space Station. The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer mission, or NICER, will study the extraordinary environments — strong gravity, ultra-dense matter, and the most powerful magnetic fields in the universe — embodied by neutron stars. NICER is a two-in-one mission. The embedded Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology, or SEXTANT, demonstration will use NICER data to validate, for the first time in space, pulsar-based navigation.NICER is planned for launch aboard the SpaceX CRS-11, currently scheduled for June 1, 2017. Learn more about the mission at nasa.gov/nicer. || ", "release_date": "2017-05-18T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:47:40.910858-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 414352, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a012600/a012605/Neutron_star_NICER_print.jpg", "filename": "Neutron_star_NICER_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "This video explains some of what's known about neutron stars and previews NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer mission (NICER).Music: Killer Tracks, Choose (NM318); Calamitous Computations (ICON011); Dreaming Solitude (PKT017)", "width": 1024, "height": 570, "pixels": 583680 } }, { "id": 20266, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20266/", "page_type": "Animation", "title": "NICER Payload Animations", "description": "Animated video and stills of the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload. || ", "release_date": "2017-04-26T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-01-06T01:42:07.746116-05:00", "main_image": { "id": 414765, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a020000/a020200/a020266/NICER_ISS_00001_print.jpg", "filename": "NICER_ISS_00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Wide angle view and zoom in of the NICER payload onboard the International Space Station.", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 20267, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20267/", "page_type": "Animation", "title": "Neutron Star Animations", "description": "The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission will study neutron stars, the densest known objects in the cosmos. These neutron star animations and graphics highlight some of their unique characteristics.For more information about NICER visit: nasa.gov/nicer. || ", "release_date": "2017-04-26T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-06-23T00:18:36.801107-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 414794, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a020000/a020200/a020267/2017_02_NICER_NeutronStar_SanFrancisco_Final_0000_print.jpg", "filename": "2017_02_NICER_NeutronStar_SanFrancisco_Final_0000_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "This animation shows the size and scale of a neutron star over San Francisco. Neutron stars squeeze up to two solar masses into a city-size volume, giving rise to the highest stable densities known anywhere. The nature of matter under these conditions is a decades-old unsolved problem.", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "sources": [], "products": [], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }