How would humanity respond if we discovered an asteroid headed for Earth? NASA’s upcoming documentary, "Planetary Defenders," takes you inside the high-stakes world of asteroid hunting and planetary defense. Follow dedicated scientists and astronomers as they work to protect Earth from potential impacts. With stunning visuals and compelling stories, this gripping documentary reveals the human spirit behind the quest to safeguard our planet.

Center: LaRC

Close-up view of the tail section of the modified C-141 Kuiper Airborne Observatory, (KAO) (NASA-714), during its demolition on the N211 apron at Moffett Field, California.

Center: ARC

Photographer: Don Richey

Location: NASA Ames Research Center

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, during the second phase of its winter training in February 2025 to prepare for the upcoming air show season. The Thunderbirds perform all over the world in F-16 Fighting Falcons, a multi-role fighter jet.

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Photographer: NASA/Jim Ross

Location: AFRC

Employees with BAE Systems pose for a photo following the arrival of NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory inside the Astrotech Space Operations Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. SPHEREx will use its telescope to provide an all-sky spectral survey, creating a 3D map of the entire sky to help scientists investigate the origins of our universe. Riding along with SPHEREx, NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission will study origins of the Sun’s outflow of material, or the solar wind. Liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST), Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, from Space Launch Complex 4 East.

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Photographer: BAE Systems/Benjamin Fry

Location: Astrotech, Vandenberg Space Forc

Technicians with Exploration Ground Systems prepare to transfer and lift the right forward segment for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Moon rocket boosters into High Bay 3 inside NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The right forward segment will be attached to the center forward segment on mobile launcher 1. The twin solid boosters, five segments on each side, will help support the remaining rocket components and the Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket and provide more than 75 percent of the total SLS thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B.

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Photographer: NASA/Cory S Huston

Location: VAB Transfer Aisle

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NASA Director for Human Space Flight Programs, Russia, Jay Marschke, presents during a meeting with Roscosmos, and Russian Search and Recovery Forces at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, Friday, April 18, 2025. Teams discussed the readiness for the landing of Expedition 72 NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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Photographer: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Location: Cosmonaut Hotel

The SPHEREx space telescope will survey the sky in optical and infrared light, gathering data on more than 450 million galaxies, and 100 million stars in our own galaxy. PUNCH will use four suitcase-sized satellites in low Earth orbit to observe the Sun, and tell us more about the space weather that can impact communications on Earth. Participants in this science briefing include: Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters Joe Westlake, director, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters Nicholeen Viall, PUNCH Mission Scientist, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Rachel Akeson, SPHEREx science data center lead, Caltech/IPAC Phil Korngut, SPHEREx instrument scientist, Caltech

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NASA’s F-15D research aircraft is positioned behind the X-59 during electromagnetic compatibility testing at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. During this test, the F-15D’s radar and avionics were turned on one at a time while engineers evaluated each signal’s interaction with the X-59 for possible interference. NASA’s Quesst mission will demonstrate quiet supersonic technology that will provide data to help determine an acceptable sound limit in the sky.

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Photographer: NASA/Carla Thomas

Location: AFRC

The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial is seen during a wreath laying ceremony that was part of NASA's Day of Remembrance, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Wreaths were laid in memory of those men and women who lost their lives in the quest for space exploration. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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Photographer: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Location: Arlington National Cemetary

iss072e593598 (Feb. 4, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams monitors an Astrobee robotic free-flyer outfitted with tentacle-like arms containing gecko-like adhesive pads preparing to grapple a "capture cube." The toaster sized Astrobee, with the experimental grippers attached, demonstrated autonomous detection and capture techniques that may be used to remove space debris and service satellites in low Earth orbit.

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Removing the skin from the airframe of the modified C-141 Kuiper Airborne Observatory, (KAO) (NASA-714), on the N211 apron at Moffett Field, California.

Center: ARC

Photographer: Don Richey

Location: NASA Ames Research Center

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritskiy interact with family and friends as they prepare depart the Cosmonaut Hotel along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov to suit-up for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Tuesday, April 8, 2025 (April 7 Eastern Time), in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch will send Kim, Ryzhikov, Zubritskiy on a mission to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

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Photographer: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Location: Cosmonaut Hotel

Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program prepare to lift the left center center booster segment shown with the iconic NASA “worm” insignia for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. The booster segment is shown attached to a lifting beam ahead of integration onto the mobile launcher. The boosters will help support the remaining rocket components and the Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket and provide more than 75 percent of the total SLS thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B.

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Photographer: NASA/Frank Michaux

Location: Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)

jsc2025e015693 (3/6/2025) --- An example of cheddar cheese alternative made with Chlorella protein concentrate. The SOPHie’s ON hamSTER (SOPHONSTER) investigation aims to cultivate microalgae (Chlorella sp.) in a space environment to study growth, protein content, and cell wall rigidity under microgravity conditions. Results could elucidate ways to improve plant-based, protein-rich alternatives to cow dairy. Image courtesy of Sophie’s BioNutrients.

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jsc2025e015860 (March 7, 2025) --- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Pilot Nichole Ayers poses for a portrait in her pressure suit at the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX

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Photographer: SpaceX

Artemis II NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander, tours Artemis II operations with Artemis team members inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. For Artemis II, four astronauts will venture around the Moon, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.

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Photographer: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Location: VAB

The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

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Photographer: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Location: Pacific Ocean

NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro, background, and NASA Astronaut Kayla Barron, place flowers at the Apollo 1 grave sites of Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, and Roger B. Chaffee as part of NASA's Day of Remembrance, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Center: HQ

Photographer: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Location: Arlington National Cemetary

Kevin Metrocavage, NASA Headquarters Space Operations Center (SOC) Manager, Space Operations Mission Directorate, speaks with John Rhys-Davies, the actor best known for his roles as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sallah in the Indiana Jones franchise, about the International Space Station in the SOC, Friday, March 28, 2025 at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, DC. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Center: HQ

Photographer: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Location: NASA Headquarters