National Radio Astronomy Observatory

In June 2025, the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) became the backdrop for something a little different from its usual role in exploring the universe. Carhartt chose the iconic New Mexico observatory as the setting for its 2026 Summer Force Heat collection campaign, bringing together cutting-edge science infrastructure and the grit of real-world lab...

When the creative team behind Apple TV’s new series PLURIBUS went looking for a location that could capture both the awe of deep space and the rugged beauty of the American Southwest, they found exactly what they needed at the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) in the Plains of San Agustin in Socorro County, New Mexico.

The production took o...

“ThunderBarb,” that’s the callsign my staff at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) jokingly gave me when they learned I’d been selected as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds’ Hometown Hero for the Joint Base Andrews Air Show. Aviation became a part of my life later than I once imagined, but the passion was always there. I remember...