New Free NASA Space Shuttle History eBook | NASA Armstrong

New Free NASA Space Shuttle History eBook | NASA Armstrong

Download Illustrated 182-page PDF here: https://go.nasa.gov/3M4jApX

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center's Contributions to the Space Shuttle Program

Edited by Christian Gelzer

Chief Historian, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Contributions to the Space Shuttle Program, edited by NASA historian Christian Gelzer, details the work performed by the center in support, both directly and indirectly, of the Space Transportation System (STS), commonly known as the space shuttle. Illustrated with both official and unofficial imagery, experts from across several fields, including NASA engineers, an Air Force flight surgeon, and historians, provide insights into Armstrong Flight Research Center’s work in shaping the shuttle’s development, operations, and further improvement.

Topics include flight research on the X-15 and lifting bodies, thermostructural testing, the Approach and Landing Test program, thermal protection system tiles under flight loads, tire tests, external tank insulation experiments, shuttle landing convoy procedures, and more.

Learn more about Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) in California:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/home/index.html

Space Shuttle Discovery Image Collection

Space Shuttle Discovery is Prepared for Launch

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

Image Date: 2011-02-23

   

STS-119 Shuttle Discovery With Moon

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: 2009-03-15

STS-53 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, rises into sky after KSC liftoff

Image Credit: NASA/JSC

Image Date: 1992-12-02

STS-53 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, rises into sky after KSC liftoff

Image Credit: NASA/JSC

Image Date: 12-02-1992

STS-133 Space Shuttle Discovery Approaching International Space Station

Image Credit: NASA/JSC

Image Date: 02-26-2011

Discovery STS-133 Mission Landing

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date:03-09-2011

STS-82 Mission - Space Shuttle Discovery on Mobile Launcher Platform

Image Credit: NASA/KSC

Image Date: 01-17-1997

Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the orbiters from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the third of five fully operational orbiters to be built. Its first mission, STS-41-D, flew from August 30 to September 5, 1984. Over 27 years of service it launched and landed 39 times, aggregating more spaceflights than any other spacecraft to date. The Space Shuttle launch vehicle has three main components: the Space Shuttle orbiter, a single-use central fuel tank, and two reusable solid rocket boosters. Nearly 25,000 heat-resistant tiles covered the orbiter to protect it from high temperatures on re-entry. Discovery's last mission, STS-133, was in 2011.

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Release Date: May 31, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceShuttle #Discovery #Aerospace #Aviation #HumanSpaceflight #Transportation #STS #History #AFRC #Armstrong #EdwardsAFB #USAF #California #UnitedStates #Science #Technology #Engineering #Research #eBook #PDF #Free #STEM #Education

Expedition 67 International Space Station Crew Answers Overseas Student Questions

Expedition 67 International Space Station Crew Answers Overseas Student Questions

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA Expedition 67 Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Jessica Watkins of NASA answered pre-recorded questions about life and work on the orbital laboratory during an in-flight event May 31, 2022, with students attending Lakenheath High School in the United Kingdom. Lakenheath is operated by the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Royal Air Force base Lakenheath is owned by the UK Ministry of Defence and leased to the United States Air Force and its 48th Fighter Wing of F-15 jets. Astronauts Lindgren and Watkins are in the midst of a science expedition mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. 

Jessica Watkins' Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jessica-watkins/biography

Kjell Lindgren Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/kjell-n-lindgren/biography

Learn more about the important research being operated on ISS: 

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on ISS: https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Expedition 67 Crew

Commander Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Roscosmos Flight Engineers: Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov (Russia)

NASA Flight Engineers: Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (USA)

European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Credit: NASA Video

Duration: 21 minutes

Release Date: May 31, 2022

#NASA #ESA #ISS #Earth #Artemis #Moon #Mars #JourneyToMars #Science #Astronaut #Astronauts #FlightEngineers #JessicaWatkins #KjellLindgren #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #LakenheathHighSchool #Military #AirForce #USAF #EastAnglia #UnitedKingdom #DoDEA #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis IV Lunar Gateway Mission: European Service Module 4

NASA Artemis IV Lunar Gateway Mission: European Service Module 4

NASA's Artemis IV will be a crewed mission to the Lunar Gateway station under development. Gateway will use a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). NRHO allows a cislunar space station to save propellant for orbital corrections and it avoids the the Moon blocking sunlight to the station’s solar panels. NRHO also allows the Gateway to remain within continuous line of sight to ground controllers back on Earth and with the lunar south pole. Artemis IV will use a Space Launch System (SLS) block 1B cargo configuration. Launch is scheduled for 2026. The Block 1B configuration is capable of sending more than 81,000 pounds to deep space.

Integration activities for NASA's Artemis IV Orion spacecraft's European Service Module 4 successfully completed at Thales Alenia Space’s plant in Turin, Italy

Specifically, the European Service Module (ESM) 4 as part of the Artemis IV mission, will drive the International Habitat I-HAB to the Lunar Gateway, docking with the Habitation and Logistic Outpost HALO, to further enhance human living capabilities in Lunar orbit.

European Service Module (ESM) 4 

European Service Module (ESM) 4 

European Service Module (ESM) 4 

Lunar Gateway illustration 

Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the primary and the secondary structure, and thermo-mechanical systems of the European Space Agency's European Service Modules (ESM).

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has successfully completed activities related to the final integration of the critical systems of Orion’s European Service Module 4. The module is now on its way to Airbus Defence and Space’s clean rooms in Bremen, Germany. There, it will complete the integration and carry out final tests, supported by Thales Alenia Space engineers on-site.

NASA's Orion spacecraft will return astronauts to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis Program. The overall European Service Module (ESM) has been developed on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA), providing the structure, propulsion, power, thermal control, and primary life support. 

In addition to ESM 4, as for previous modules 1, 2 and 3, Thales Alenia Space will provide Airbus, Orion's ESM module prime contractor, with the critical subsystems of the forthcoming ESM 5 and 6 service modules, including structure, micro-meteorite protection, thermal control, storage, and distribution of consumables. These subsystems are crucial parts of the modules as they ensure vital and safe conditions for the crew during the entire mission.

Leonardo is also a program partner, supplying the photovoltaic panels (PVA) and Power Control and Distribution Units (PCDU) for ESM modules 1 to 6.

Following component checks under Thales Alenia Space’s responsibility (including vital elements, such as the system pump and radiators) with the relevant functional checks and the final completion of the activities by the prime contractor, Airbus Defence and Space ESM 4 will then be delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. 

“Our company is at the heart of the industrial challenge for the return of astronauts to the Moon” said Massimo Comparini, Senior Executive Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. 

“Leveraging its long-standing technological legacy in space exploration, orbital infrastructure and space transport vehicles, Thales Alenia Space also plays a major role in this human spaceflight mission. Our goal is to provide the best solutions ever to ensure both the safety and comfort of astronauts, who will be far away from home over long-term periods.”

In addition to being responsible for the thermo-mechanical systems for the Orion European Service Module, the company is heavily involved in Lunar Gateway, providing ESPRIT and I-HAB pressurized modules to ESA. The welding of the Habitation And Logistics Outpost (HALO) is also underway at Thales Alenia Space’s plant in Turin, Italy.

Leveraging its legacy of supporting Cygnus cargo missions to the International Space Station, providing a major part of its habitable modules, Thales Alenia Space has now become a top industrial partner for the Lunar Gateway and for Axiom's commercial space station. 

During the Artemis III Mission, NASA will see the first woman and the next man land on the Moon. Moreover, ESM-3 is currently in the final stages of integration and testing at Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen, Germany.

Learn more about Thales Alenia Space: www.thalesaleniaspace.com

Learn more about NASA's Artemis Program: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis

Story Credit: Thales Alenia Space

Image Credit: Thales Alenia Space

Release Date: May 31, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Space #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisIV #LunarGateway #Gateway #NRHO #Orion #Spacecraft #ESM #ESM4 #ThalesAlenia #Airbus #SLS #Rocket #MoonToMars #JourneyToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #UnitedStates #Europe #Germany #Deutschland #Turin #Italy #Italia #International #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education

Happy Birthday to Former NASA Astronaut Michael López-Alegría of Axiom Space!

Happy Birthday to Former NASA Astronaut Michael López-Alegría of Axiom Space!

Michael López-Alegría (born on May 30, 1958) is currently a private astronaut with dual nationality, American and Spanish. Michael is a veteran of three NASA Space Shuttle missions and one International Space Station mission. He is known for having performed ten spacewalks so far in his career. Michael López-Alegría commanded Axiom-1, the first ever all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Axiom-1 launched on April 8, 2022 and the crew spent around 17 days in Earth orbit.

Lopez-Alegria during EVA 8

Image Date:  Feb. 8, 2007

MS Lopez-Alegria and MS Herrington Keel Trunnion Pin OPS on P1 Truss during second EVA for STS-113

Image Date: Nov. 28, 2002

MS Lopez-Alegria during the second EVA for STS-113

Image Date: Nov. 28, 2002

Lopez-Alegria and Herrington work near CETA cart 2 during STS-113 EVA OPS

Image Date: Nov. 26, 2002

MS Lopez-Alegria during the second EVA for STS-113

Image Date: Nov. 28, 2002

Lopez-Alegria during EVA 8

Image Date: February 8, 2007

Lopez-Alegria wearing Russian Orlan spacesuit in Pirs prior to EVA 17A

Image Date: February 20, 2007

More information about Axiom Space and the Ax-1 Mission can be found at www.axiomspace.com

Former NASA Astronaut Michael López-Alegría's Official Biography 

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/lopez-alegria_michael_0.pdf

#NASA #Space #ISS #Axiom #AxiomSpace #Ax1 #Astronaut #MichaelLópezAlegría #Birthday #Spain #Espana #SpaceX #CrewDragon #Spacecraft #Private #Commercial #Mission #UnitedStates #Science #Research #International #STEM #Education

Sunrise at Mount Sharp on Mars | NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover

Sunrise at Mount Sharp on Mars | NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover

Panaroma and mosaic of 16 pictures taken by MastCam Left (34mm focal length) aboard NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover on Sol 3481 (May 22, 2022) at 8:05 am local Martian time.

[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]

Curiosity Rover Update:

"Our intrepid rover engineers again successfully navigated Curiosity a little higher up Mount Sharp (~5 m) and ~40 m on the ground, away from our previous location. The terrain beneath the rover included striated, dusty bedrock and sand ripples with coarse lag deposits."

"The environmental scientists planned several observations to continue monitoring changes in atmospheric conditions and the current dust storm within Gale crater. These included: Navcam line of sight images, a large dust devil survey, suprahorizon movies, a dust devil movie, and a zenith movie; and Mastcam basic and full tau observations."

Caption Credit: Lucy Thompson, Planetary Geologist, University of New Brunswick

Release Date: May 26, 2022

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit mars.nasa.gov

Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Rover Name: Curiosity

Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 

Launch: November 6, 2011

Landing: August 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Thomas Appéré

Image Date: May 22, 2022

Release Date: May 30, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Sunrise #Astrobiology #Geology #Crater #MountSharp #GaleCrater #Curiosity #Rover #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #ThomasAppéré #France #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #STEM #Education

Moonrise | International Space Station

Moonrise | International Space Station

Images of the Moon rising above the colors of the imminent sunrise as seen from the International Space Station captured by European Space Agency Astronaut (ESA) Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy on her Minerva Mission.

Learn about Samantha's Minerva Mission: https://bit.ly/MissionMinerva

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti's Official Biography:

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Samantha_Cristoforetti

Expedition 67 Crew

Commander Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Roscosmos Flight Engineers: Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov (Russia)

NASA Flight Engineers: Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (USA)

European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the  International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken

Credit: European Space Agency Astronaut (ESA) Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy

Image Date: May 29, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Moon #Moonrise #Earth #Planet #ESA #Astronaut #SamanthaCristoforetti #Italy #Italia #Minerva #ASI #Photography #Art #Science #HumanSpaceflight #Astronauts #Expedition67 #Europe #UnitedStates #International #STEM #Education

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers—New May 2022 Images | JPL

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers—New May 2022 Images | JPL

Mars2020 - Sol 452 - Watson

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Kevin M. Gill

Mars2020 - Sol 451 - Mastcam-Z

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - Sol 3485 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

Mars2020 - Sol 448 - Mastcam-Z

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - Sol 3485 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - Sol 3483 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - Sol 3481 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

Curiosity Rover Update:

"Our intrepid rover engineers again successfully navigated Curiosity a little higher up Mount Sharp (~5 m) and ~40 m on the ground, away from our previous location. The terrain beneath the rover included striated, dusty bedrock and sand ripples with coarse lag deposits."

"The environmental scientists planned several observations to continue monitoring changes in atmospheric conditions and the current dust storm within Gale crater. These included: Navcam line of sight images, a large dust devil survey, suprahorizon movies, a dust devil movie, and a zenith movie; and Mastcam basic and full tau observations."

Caption Credit: Lucy Thompson, Planetary Geologist, University of New Brunswick

Release Date: May 26, 2022

Perseverance Rover Update:

Since NASA's Perseverance rover landed on Mars, its two microphones have recorded hours of audio that provide valuable information about the Martian atmosphere.

After more than a year of recording on the surface, the team reduced the data to a Martian playlist that features about five hours of sounds. Most of the time, Mars is very quiet. Sounds are 20 decibels lower than on Earth for the same source, and there are few natural noises except for the wind.

"It is so quiet that, at some point, we thought the microphone was broken!" said Chide.

However, after listening carefully to the data, the group uncovered fascinating phenomena. There was a lot of variability in the wind, and the atmosphere could abruptly change from calm to intense with rapid gusts. By listening to well-characterized and intentional laser sparks, Perseverance calculated the dispersion of the sound speed, confirming a theory that high-frequency sounds travel faster than those at low frequencies.

"Mars is the only place in the solar system where that happens in the audible bandwidth because of the unique properties of the carbon dioxide molecule that composes the atmosphere," said Chide.

The red planet's seasons impact its soundscape. As carbon dioxide freezes in the polar caps during winter, the density of the atmosphere changes and the environment loudness varies by about 20%. That molecule also attenuates high-pitched sounds with distance.

Source: Baptiste Chide of Los Alamos National Lab/Mars Daily

Release Date: May 26, 2022

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020    

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Rover Name: Curiosity

Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 

Launch: November 6, 2011

Landing: August 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit mars.nasa.gov

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill

Image Release Dates: May 25-29, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #Jezero #Crater #MountSharp #GaleCrater #Perseverance #Curiosity #Rovers #Ingenuity #Helicopter #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #STEM #Education

Post-flight Interview with European Astronaut Matthias Maurer of Germany | ESA

Post-flight Interview with European Astronaut Matthias Maurer of Germany | ESA

Interview with European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer of Germany after the conclusion of his 177-day mission on the International Space Station. During his time in orbit, Matthias supported over 35 European experiments and even more international experiments on board. The outcomes of these experiments will advance our knowledge in areas ranging from human health to materials science, benefiting life on Earth and the future of space exploration. Other highlights included his spacewalk to improve and maintain the International Space Station. 

More about the Cosmic Kiss mission: https://www.esa.int/cosmickiss

ESA Astronaut Matthias Maurer's Official Biography:

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Matthias_Maurer

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)

Duration: 6 minutes, 18 seconds

Release Date: May 30, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Space #ISS #Astronauts #Astronaut #MatthiasMaurer #FlightEngineer #Science #Technology #Engineering #Research #Laboratory #Engineer #DLR #Germany #Deutschland #CosmicKiss #UnitedStates #Expedition66 #Expedition67 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Captures Record Flight | JPL

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Captures Record Flight | JPL

[No Audio -- You can add your own!]

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 18, 2022. The navigation camera aboard the rotorcraft captured its longest and fastest flight to date on the Red Planet. The helicopter covered 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a max speed of 12 mph (5.5 meters per second).

Footage of the 161.3-second flight was sped up approximately five times. In the video, Ingenuity first reaches an altitude of 33 feet (10 meters). The helicopter then moves southwest and accelerates to 12 mph (5.5 meters per second) in less than three seconds. Ingenuity flies over a group of sand ripples and then by several rock fields. Finally, the helicopter finds a landing spot when relatively flat terrain appears below.

Ingenuity became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021, from Wright Brothers Field in Jezero Crater, Mars. 

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020    

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

Mars Helicopter (Ingenuity) is now in an operations demo phase.

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit mars.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Duration: 35 seconds

Release Date: May 27, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #Jezero #Crater #Perseverance #Rover #Ingenuity #Helicopter #Aviation #Flight #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #History #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Tonight's Sky: June 2022

Tonight's Sky: June 2022

Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula.

“Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky of the northern hemisphere. This series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning.

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 5 minutes, 43 seconds 

Release Date: May 24, 2022

#NASA #Astronomy #Hubble #Space #Science #Earth #Stars #Globular #StarClusters #Hercules #M92 #Nebula #CatsEye #Arcturis #Draco #Constellations #Galaxy #MilkyWay #Planets #SolarSystem #Skywatching #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis III Rocket to Return Humans to Moon Under Construction

NASA Artemis III Rocket to Return Humans to Moon Under Construction

NASA's Artemis III Mission will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, heralding a new era for space exploration and utilization.

Upper Stage Propulsion System for Artemis III Mission Reaches Major Milestone

While the Artemis I team prepares for its upcoming mission this year to orbit the moon, NASA and contractor teams are already building rockets to support future Artemis Moon missions. In United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) factory in Decatur, Alabama, major components have been completed for the Artemis III interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) that will provide the power to send astronauts to the Moon. The ICPS, which is built by ULA under a collaborative partnership with Boeing, provides in-space propulsion for the Orion spacecraft after the solid rocket boosters and core stage put the Space Launch System (SLS) into an Earth orbit, and before the spacecraft is flying on its own. 

The liquid hydrogen tank (left) is built, and soon it will be mated to the intertank (right) that connects it with the liquid oxygen tank. The intertank is comprised of composite-material truss structures in an X design. The eight bottles around the perimeter of the trusses store helium used to pressurize the stage's propellant tanks. The liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks provide propellant for a single RL10 engine built by Aerojet Rocketdyne in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Artemis III ICPS will provide the big push needed to propel Orion toward the Moon and send the crew on the first mission where humans once again will land on the lunar surface.

NASA's Artemis Program:

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

Read the Artemis Plan (74-page PDF Free Download): 

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/artemis_plan-20200921.pdf

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html

NASA's Orion Spacecraft

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/about/index.html

Caption Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance

Release Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #ESA #ULA #Space #Artemis #ArtemisIII #SLS #Boeing #Rocket #DeepSpace #ICPS #Propulsion #AerojetRocketdyne #Moon #Mars #MoonToMars #Astronauts #Mars #JourneyToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #SolarSystem #Alabama #UnitedStates #Europe #International #STEM #Education

Have a 'Top Gun' Weekend | Friends of NASA

Have a 'Top Gun' Weekend | Friends of NASA

A pair of NASA's Northrop Grumman T-38 Talons fly in formation over Galveston Beach in Texas, showing some of the aerobatic abilities of the T-38—a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer.

Years before NASA's space shuttle would glide home to a safe touchdown on runways in California and Florida, NASA astronauts pitched the noses of T-38 jet trainers toward the same runways to find out what it would look like to land a spacecraft in such a way.

The T-38 remains a fixture for astronaut training more than 40 years later because the sleek, white jets make pilots and mission specialists think quickly in changing situations, mental experiences the astronauts say are critical to practicing for the rigors of spaceflight.

"It's actually our most important training that we do as astronauts," said NASA astronaut Terry Virts, who flew as the pilot of STS-130 aboard shuttle Endeavour. "It’s the one place where we're not in a simulator. It's real flying and if you make a mistake, you can get hurt or break something or run out of gas. There are a lot of things that happen real-world in a T-38 that don't happen in the simulator."

"You're in a different world, a dynamic world, it doesn't matter whether it's a shuttle or a T-38," said Story Musgrave, a six-time shuttle flyer who posted thousands of hours in the T-38 and instructed others how to fly it, too. "It's understanding the rules, how to live within the rules."

Musgrave describes the T-38 as "a classic, timeless beauty."

Powered by two afterburning General Electric J85 engines, a T-38 can fly supersonic up to Mach 1.6 and soar above 40,000 feet, about 10,000 feet higher than airliners typically cruise. The plane can wrench its pilots through more than seven Gs, or seven times the force of gravity. That's enough to make simply lifting hands a feat of strength and breathing a labored chore. It'll make one's neck feel like it is balancing a cinder block. It's also more than enough to make the average person black out.

"The T-38 is a great aircraft for what we need at NASA because it's fast, it's high-performance and it's very simple," Virts said. "It's safe and it's known. So compared to other airplanes, it's definitely one of the best."

T-38 Talon Facts

Power Plant: Two General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet engines with afterburners

Thrust: 2,050 pounds dry thrust; 2,900 with afterburners

Length: 46 feet, 4 inches (14 meters)

Height: 12 feet, 10 inches (3.8 meters)

Wingspan: 25 feet, 3 inches (7.6 meters)

Ceiling: Above 55,000 feet (16,764 meters)

Range: 1,093 miles

Crew: Two

Source: United States Air Force

Caption Credit: Steven Siceloff, NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Image Credit: Story Musgrave

Release Date: April 20, 2011

#NASA #Aerospace #Astronauts #Pilots #Training #Aircraft #Aviation #T38 #Talon #Inverted #Supersonic #NorthopGrumman #GeneralElectric #USAF #TopGun #Maverick #Film #JSC #KSC #Kennedy #Florida #UnitedStates #History #FoN #STEM #Education

A Commercial Crew Spacecraft’s Historic Test Mission | This Week @NASA

A Commercial Crew Spacecraft’s Historic Test Mission | This Week @NASA 

May 27, 2022: A commercial crew spacecraft’s historic test mission, recognizing the leadership of our James Webb Space Telescope team, and a small spacecraft prepares for a unique mission around the Moon . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 4 minutes

Release Date: May 27, 2022

#NASA #Space #Artemis #Moon #CAPCOM #Cislunar #Spacecraft #RocketLab #JWST #ISS #Boeing #Spacecraft #Starliner #CST100 #CommercialCrew #OFT2 #Astronauts #FlightEngineer #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Crew-4 Dragon Freedom—Astronauts Enjoy Earth Views | NASA

SpaceX Crew-4 Dragon Freedom—Astronauts Enjoy Earth Views | NASA

NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts are pictured looking out the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft’s windows at Earth, while bathed in Earthlight, on their journey to the International Space Station, April 27, 2022.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy

NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren

Astronauts Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

Astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti & Jessica Watkins

    Astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

SpaceX Dragon Freedom Crew-4 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station

Image Date: May 21, 2022

SpaceX Crew 4 Astronauts:

Samantha Cristoforetti's Biography (ESA)

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Samantha_Cristoforetti

Jessica Watkins' Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jessica-watkins/biography

Kjell Lindgren's Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/kjell-n-lindgren/biography

Robert Hines' Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/bob-hines

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the  International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Dates: April 27, 2022 (Images 1-7) May 21, 2022 (Image 8)

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Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew spacecraft landed at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. 

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: May 25, 2022

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