Friends of NASA: April 2024

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

China Completes Ignition Tests for Powerful Reusable Liquid-fueled Rocket Engine

China Completes Ignition Tests for Powerful Reusable Liquid-fueled Rocket Engine

China successfully completed an ignition test on Sunday, April 28, 2024, for its liquid-propellant engine with the highest thrust, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), four YF-100K rocket engines have been successfully tested in parallel at the Tongchuan Test Center, Shaanxi Province, China. YF-100K is a “130-ton reusable liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine” that may be used by the Long March-10 launch vehicle. This marks a new breakthrough in the country's liquid propulsion development. It is also the first-ever parallel ignition test of four large-thrust liquid oxygen (LOX) kerosene engines. The 130-tonne class LOX kerosene engine, developed by the CASC, has a total thrust of over 500 tonnes.

Compared to the currently operational 120-tonne class LOX kerosene engines, it boasts not only a larger thrust and better performance, but also a more compact structure, effectively enhancing the rocket's carrying capacity.

"The successful test assessed the coordination of the multi-engine operation of our system, and the operating reliability of the engines in extreme thermal and force environment. [The result] indicates that the engines are fully qualified to participate in [rocket launching] tests," said Li Bin, deputy head of the Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology under CASC.

The engine used in this test was designed with the "pump back swing" technology, referring to an engine with a swing device at the rear. Compared with the main liquid oxygen kerosene engines currently in service, this kind of engine has a greater thrust, better performance, and a more compact structure.

With the pump back swing technology, more engines can be set within the same rocket diameter, which can effectively improve rocket carrying capacity.

"An engine with the pump back swing technology has a compact structure. For instance, we can place four engines within a diameter of 3.8 meters, and seven engines within a diameter of 5 meters," Li said.

The parallel ignition test refers to the integration of four mature engine systems, working in unison rather than simply being bundled together. This approach provides a larger thrust for the rocket while also reducing the overall complexity of the system.

The successful trial run validates the coordination of multiple engines and their reliability in high thermal environments, demonstrating that the engines are fully capable of flight applications.

After the test run, the engines will be delivered for rocket launching missions upon an engine check.

Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Duration: 1 minute, 26 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #China #中国 #TongchuanTestCenter #铜川试验中心 #XianCity #ShaanxiProvince #YF100K #LongMarch10Rocket #长征十 #RocketEngine #Reusability #LOX #EngineTesting #CASC #Moon #月亮 #嫦娥 #Spaceflight #CASC #Science #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Waning Gibbous Moon above Earth's Horizon | International Space Station

Waning Gibbous Moon above Earth's Horizon | International Space Station

The waning gibbous Moon is pictured above Earth's horizon from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean northeast of Japan.

Follow Expedition 70 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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 Date: April 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Science #Planet #Earth #Atmosphere #Moon #WaningGibbousMoon #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #HumanSpaceflight #JSC #UnitedStates #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Russia #Россия #Expedition70 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

China Readies Chang'e-6 Sample Return Mission to Moon's Far Side South Pole

China Readies Chang'e-6 Sample Return Mission to Moon's Far Side South Pole

The Chang'e-6 lunar probe is scheduled to be launched at an appropriate time in the beginning of May 2024, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). This is China's second lunar sample return mission. In 2020, Chang'e 5 was the first lunar sample-return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976. The mission made China the third country to return samples from the Moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.

The combination of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe and the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket was transferred vertically on Saturday, April 27, 2024, to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, the CNSA said.

"Comparing Chang'e-6 with Chang'e-5, the most significant difference is that Chang 'e-5 conducted the sample-return mission on the near side of the moon, while the Chang 'e-6 will conduct the sample-return mission on the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-6 aims to achieve breakthroughs in the design and control technology of the Moon's retrograde orbit, intelligent sampling, take-off and ascent technologies, and automatic sample-return on the far side of the Moon. At present, the Long March-5 carrier rocket and the Chang'e-6 probe are in good condition. All preparations for the launch are progressing in an orderly manner, following normal working procedures," said Ge Ping, deputy director of the Center of Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering, China National Space Administration.

"At present, the launch site has ensured the normal testing of Chang'e-6 and the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket. Our Hainan launch site features high temperatures, high humidity, and high salt mist. We have made corresponding preparations for the environmental conditions, and we have also prepared some typhoon prevention plans to adapt to the weather in Hainan," said Liao Guorui, an engineer at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 41 seconds

Release Date: April 27, 2024

嫦娥六号

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Satellites #Earth #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #FarSide #SouthPole #LongMarch5Y8Rocket #Queqiao2 #鹊桥二号中继星 #CNSA #CASC #Wenchang #Hainan #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test Launch Preparations | International Space Station

Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test Launch Preparations | International Space Station

During a mission dress rehearsal, NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are photographed in their Boeing spacesuits at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, part of the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Friday, April 26, 2024. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Wilmore and Williams are the first to launch to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Liftoff to the International Space Station atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. ET Monday, May 6, 2024.

NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/people/sunita-l-williams/

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/williams-s.pdf

NASA Astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/barry-e-wilmore/biography

For more info on Starliner, visit:

boeing.com/starliner

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

Image Date: April 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Boeing #Starliner #CST100 #Spacecraft #CommercialCrew #CCP #CFT #Astronauts #SuniWilliams #BarryWilmore #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #NASAKennedy #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut Jiang Xinlin after Landing in Inner Mongolia

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut Jiang Xinlin after Landing in Inner Mongolia

Every day of the six-month stay in space was fulfilling, fascinating, and wonderful, said Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after returning to Earth safe and sound.

Jiang was the last of the Shenzhou-17 crew to get out of the return capsule, after the module touched down safely at the designated Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Tuesday.

The return capsule, carrying Shenzhou-17 astronauts Tang Hongbo—the mission commander, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, landed at 17:46 Beijing Time, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Upon landing, Jiang and the two other crew members reported their good conditions to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center.

"During my six-month stay in space, every day was incredibly fulfilling, fascinating, and wonderful. Now that I've returned to the embrace of the motherland, my heart is filled with excitement. I feel immensely proud of our great motherland. Moving forward, I will continue to work hard, do a good job in my recovery, and strive to return to space at an early date," he said.

After all three crew members got out of the return capsule, the ground control at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center announced the Shenzhou-17 manned mission a complete success.

Since blasting off for the Chinese space station last October, the Shenzhou-17 crew had witnessed the arrival of the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft, performed two extravehicular activities, carried out 84 in-orbit experiments with more than 200 samples produced, and have brought back over 400 material samples retrieved after being exposed to space outside the station's Wentian lab module.

During their second spacewalk, the astronauts did repair work on the solar panels of the space station's core module, which had been subject to minor damage by space debris. This marked China's first-ever extravehicular repair mission.

The Shenzhou-17 spaceship, which was launched on Oct. 26 last year, initiated its journey back to Earth after separating from the space station combination at 08:43 Beijing Time (00:43 GMT) on Tuesday.

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 42 seconds

Release Date: April 30, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #GobiDesert #InnerMongolia #Dongfeng #Shenzhou17 #神舟十七号 #CrewSpacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #HongboTang #ShengjieTang #XinlinJiang #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut Tang Shengjie after Landing in Inner Mongolia

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut Tang Shengjie after Landing in Inner Mongolia

Astronaut Tang Shengjie was the second to leave the return capsule of the Shenzhou-17 spaceship, after the module landed safely at the designated landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Tuesday.

The return capsule, carrying astronauts Tang Hongbo—the mission commander, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 17:46 Beijing Time (09:46 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency.

"Returning to the beautiful Earth after six months, I'm so happy and excited, and I'd like to thank my powerful motherland and thank all space program workers who have struggled successively generation by generation. During this mission, led by our commander, we cooperated closely with the ground teams and worked together to complete all designated tasks. For me, the past six months were also a journey of study and exploration, and I gained a lot of valuable experience. The starry sky is a vast universe, and our exploration knows no limit. I think realizing the dream of space flight is not an end but a starting point. Next, I'll fully cooperate with our staff in post-mission recovery and engage in follow-up training in the best shape," he said.

Tang Shengjie and the other two crew members of the spaceship will later be transferred to Beijing, where they will undergo post-mission medical evaluation, recovery and debriefing.

The homecoming of the Shenzhou-17 crew follows the completion of a six-month mission and in-orbit crew rotation with the newly-arrived crew members of the Shenzhou-18 mission.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (汤洪波, Commander)

Shengjie Tang (唐胜杰, Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (江新林, Mission Specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 34 seconds

Release Date: April 30, 2024

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut & Mission Commander Tang Hongbo after Landing

China Shenzhou-17 Astronaut & Mission Commander Tang Hongbo after Landing

Chinese astronaut Tang Hongbo, commander of the Shenzhou-17 mission, returned to Earth from the China Space Station on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after a six-month stay in space.

Tang was the first of the three crew members of the spacecraft to emerge from the return capsule, after the module touched down the ground safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 17:46 Beijing Time, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The landing came after Tang and his crew mates, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, handed over control of the Tiangong Space Station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-18 crew on Sunday.

With his return, Tang has set the record for the longest time spent in orbit so far—279 days—among Chinese astronauts.

Upon landing, Tang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) that he felt proud to have completed the six-month mission along with his two crew mates and that he missed his loved ones on Earth very much.

The Shenzhou-17's return capsule separated from its orbiting capsule at around 08:40 Beijing Time on Tuesday, as per the flight procedure.

Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the crew members were in good health.

With the return of the crew, the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceflight mission was announced a complete success.

The Shenzhou-17 crew was launched into space on Oct 26, 2023, for their stay aboard the Tiangong Space Station. During their six-month-long mission, the trio witnessed the arrival of the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft, completed two spacewalks, and carried out 84 in-orbit tests and space application experiments, and generated more than 200 samples, involving space life science and biotechnology, space medicine, space materials science and other fields.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (汤洪波, Commander)

Shengjie Tang (唐胜杰, Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (江新林, Mission Specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 33 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

Dwarf Galaxy IC 776 in Virgo: On the Hunt for X-rays | Hubble

Dwarf Galaxy IC 776 in Virgo: On the Hunt for X-rays | Hubble

This is the dwarf galaxy IC 776. It is a swirling collection of stars new and old located in the constellation Virgo—in fact, in the Virgo galaxy cluster—100 million light-years from Earth. While a dwarf galaxy, it is also been classified as an SAB-type or ‘weakly barred’ spiral, one study naming it a “complex case” in morphology. This highly detailed view from Hubble demonstrates that complexity well. IC 776 has a ragged, disturbed disc that nevertheless looks to spiral around the core, and arcs of star-forming regions.

This image is from an observation program dedicated to the study of dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster, searching for sources of X-rays in such galaxies. X-rays are often emitted by accretion discs, where material that is drawn into a compact object by gravity crashes together and forms a hot, glowing disc. The compact object can be a white dwarf or neutron star in a binary pair, stealing material from its companion star, or it can be the supermassive black hole at the heart of a galaxy, devouring all around it. Dwarf galaxies like IC 776, travelling through the Virgo cluster, experience a pressure from the intergalactic gas which can both stimulate star formation and feed the central black hole in a galaxy. That can create energetic accretion discs, hot enough to emit X-rays.

While Hubble is not able to see X-rays, it can coordinate with X-ray telescopes, such as NASA’s Chandra, revealing the sources of this radiation in high resolution using visible light. Dwarf galaxies are thought to be very important for our understanding of cosmology and the evolution of galaxies. As with many areas of astronomy, the ability to examine these galaxies across the electromagnetic spectrum is critical to their study.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy viewed tilted at a diagonal angle. The core and the disc of the galaxy are different colors, but are otherwise difficult to tell apart, with the disc having wispy, ragged edges and many arcs of glowing star-forming patches. A few distant galaxies can be seen in the background around the spiral galaxy, as well as several foreground stars.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, M. Sun

Release Date: April 29, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Galaxies #Galaxy #IC776 #DwarfGalaxy #SAB #Virgo #Constellation #VirgoGalaxyCluster #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #HST #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-17 Crew Successfully Lands in North China | China Space Station

Shenzhou-17 Crew Successfully Lands in North China | China Space Station

The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-17 crewed spaceflight mission returned to Earth on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after completing their six-month mission aboard the Tiangong space station and conducting an in-orbit rotation with the newly-arrived Shenzhou-18 crew.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (汤洪波, Commander)

Shengjie Tang (唐胜杰, Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (江新林, Mission Specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 15 seconds

Release Date: April 30, 2024

Monday, April 29, 2024

Preparations for Return of China's Shenzhou-17 Crew | China Space Station

Preparations for Return of China's Shenzhou-17 Crew | China Space Station

A search and rescue team has fully prepared for the return of the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft and its three crew members at the Dongfeng landing site in China's Gobi Desert. The Shenzhou-17 crew is due to return to Earth on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

With an area of tens of thousands of square kilometers, the landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia encompasses a multitude of terrain features, including deserts, grasslands, lakes, and saline-alkali lands, posing great challenges to the search and rescue operation.

To better handle their task in the challenging environment, the team has undertaken a range of training, including high-altitude rappelling from helicopter, anti-vertigo training, unmanned drone operation, diving and long-distance hiking with heavy loads in desert.

"Under the most challenging and complex conditions, we have conducted multiple systematic trainings and a three-month comprehensive exercise. In addition, we have carried out simulated trainings based on potential scenarios to ensure a safe return of the astronauts to the Dongfeng landing site," said Su Liming, a member of the search and rescue team.

Two comprehensive exercises involving the entire system of the landing site have been carried out, significantly enhancing the team's capabilities in performing search and rescue operations with coordinated and joint efforts.

"During the comprehensive exercises, both our personnel and equipment demonstrated outstanding performance. We have the capability and confidence to ensure a safe return of the astronauts," said Sun Liwen, another member of the search and rescue team.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (汤洪波, Commander)

Shengjie Tang (唐胜杰, Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (江新林, Mission Specialist)

Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 1 minute, 30 seconds

Release Date: April 27, 2024

How Solar Storms This Year Will Help Future Mars Astronauts | NASA/JPL

How Solar Storms This Year Will Help Future Mars Astronauts | NASA/JPL

Mars Report - April 2024: The Sun’s activity will be at its peak in 2024, providing a rare opportunity to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts and robots on Mars. This peak period—called solar maximum—will be observed by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatiles EvolutioN) orbiter and Curiosity rover. Learn how both spacecraft have a big year ahead in this video featuring MAVEN Principal Investigator Shannon Curry of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Solar maximum occurs roughly every 11 years. During this period, the Sun is especially prone to throwing fiery tantrums in a variety of forms, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events launch radiation deep into space. When a series of these solar events erupt, it’s called a solar storm.

Earth’s magnetic field largely shields our home planet from the effects of these storms. But Mars lost its global magnetic field long ago, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the Sun’s energetic particles. Researchers are excited to potentially gather data on just how intense solar activity can get at Mars. Among the preparations space agencies will need to make for sending humans to the Red Planet is what kind of radiation protection astronauts would require.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California leads the Curiosity mission.

Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/3UNS6g1

For more information on MAVEN, go to: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/maven/

Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Duration: 2 minutes, 27 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Star #Sun #SolarMax #Planet #Mars #Atmosphere #Ultraviolet #UV #Radiation #Astronauts #MAVENMission #MAVENSpacecraft #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #GSFC #LASP #CUBoulder #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up View of The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Close-up View of The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of one of the most distinctive objects in our skies, the Horsehead Nebula. These observations show a part of the iconic nebula in a whole new light, capturing its complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution.

Webb’s new images show part of the sky in the constellation Orion (The Hunter), in the western side of the Orion B molecular cloud. Rising from turbulent waves of dust and gas is the Horsehead Nebula, otherwise known as Barnard 33, which resides roughly 1,300 light-years away.

The nebula formed from a collapsing interstellar cloud of material, and glows because it is illuminated by a nearby hot star. The gas clouds surrounding the Horsehead have already dissipated, but the jutting pillar is made of thick clumps of material that is harder to erode. Astronomers estimate that the Horsehead has about five million years left before it too disintegrates. Webb’s new view focuses on the illuminated edge of the top of the nebula’s distinctive dust and gas structure.

The Horsehead Nebula is a well-known photon-dominated region, or PDR. In such a region ultraviolet light from young, massive stars creates a mostly neutral, warm area of gas and dust between the fully ionized gas surrounding the massive stars and the clouds in which they are born. This ultraviolet radiation strongly influences the gas chemistry of these regions and acts as the most important source of heat.

These regions occur where interstellar gas is dense enough to remain neutral, but not dense enough to prevent the penetration of far-ultraviolet light from massive stars. The light emitted from such PDRs provides a unique tool to study the physical and chemical processes that drive the evolution of interstellar matter in our galaxy, and throughout the Universe from the early era of vigorous star formation to the present day.

Owing to its proximity and its nearly edge-on geometry, the Horsehead Nebula is an ideal target for astronomers to study the physical structures of PDRs and the evolution of the chemical characteristics of the gas and dust within their respective environments, and the transition regions between them. It is considered one of the best objects in the sky to study how radiation interacts with interstellar matter.

This image was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-InfraRed Camera) instrument.

Image Description: The image is more than half-filled by a small section of the Horsehead Nebula, from the bottom up. The clouds are seen up close, showing thick, whitish streaks and dark voids, as well as textured, fuzzy-looking patterns of dust and gas. The nebula stops at a spiky edge that follows a slight curve. Above it a small number of distant stars and galaxies lie on a dark but multi-colored background.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS)

Release Date: April 29, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StellarNursery #Nebulae #Nebula #Barnard33 #HorseheadNebula #PDR #Orion #Constellation #JamesWebb #SpaceTelescope #JWST #Infrared #Cosmos #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #CSA #GSFC #STSc #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Horsehead Nebula: Euclid, Hubble & Webb Space Telescope Views

The Horsehead Nebula: Euclid, Hubble & Webb Space Telescope Views

This image showcases three views of one of the most distinctive objects in our skies, the Horsehead Nebula. This object resides in part of the sky in the constellation Orion (The Hunter), in the western side of the Orion B molecular cloud. Rising from turbulent waves of dust and gas is the Horsehead Nebula, otherwise known as Barnard 33, which resides roughly 1,300 light-years away.

The first image (left), released in November 2023, features the Horsehead Nebula as seen by the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope. Euclid captured this image of the Horsehead in about one hour. It showcases the mission's ability to very quickly image an unprecedented area of the sky in high detail.

The second image (middle) shows the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope’s infrared view of the Horsehead Nebula, which was featured as the telescope’s 23rd anniversary image in 2013. This image captures plumes of gas in the infrared and reveals a beautiful, delicate structure that is normally obscured by dust.

The third image (right) features a new view of the Horsehead Nebula from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-InfraRed Camera) instrument. It is the sharpest infrared image of the object to date, showing a part of the iconic nebula in a whole new light, and capturing its complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution.

Image Description: A collage of three images of the Horsehead Nebula. In the left image labelled “Euclid (Visible-Infrared)”, the Nebula is seen amongst its surroundings. A small box around it connects to the second image labelled “Hubble (Infrared)”, where the Nebula is zoomed in on. A portion of the Nebula’s head has another box, which leads with a callout to the third image, labelled “Webb (Infrared)”, of that area.

Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi, NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI), ESA/Webb, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS), M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)

Release Date: April 29, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #Nebula #Barnard33 #HorseheadNebula #PDR #Orion #Constellation #JamesWebb #SpaceTelescope #JWST #Infrared #Hubble #Euclid #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #CSA #GSFC #STSc #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Webb Space Telescope Captures Iconic Horsehead Nebula in Unprecedented Detail

Webb Space Telescope Captures Iconic Horsehead Nebula in Unprecedented Detail

Video Credits:

Editing: Nico Bartmann

Written by: Bethany Downer

Footage and photos: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS) N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb)

Duration: 1 minute, 53 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

Zoom into The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Zoom into The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

This video takes the viewer on a journey through space to reveal a new image from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope, the Horsehead Nebula.

This zoom video features three unique views of the Horsehead Nebula, including images from as European Space Agency's Euclid telescope, the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope’s infrared view of the object, and finally revealing the new image from Webb's NIRCam (Near-InfraRed Camera) instrument. It is the sharpest infrared image of the object to date, showing a part of the iconic nebula in a whole new light, and capturing its complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution. You can learn more about this new image here.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS)

Duration: 1 minute, 30 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

Panning over The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Panning over The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

This image was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-InfraRed Camera) instrument.

Image Description: At the bottom of the image a small portion of the Horsehead Nebula is seen close-in, as a curved wall of thick, smoky gas and dust. Above the nebula various distant stars and galaxies can be seen up to the top of the image. One star is very bright and large, with six long diffraction spikes that cross the image. The background fades from a dark red color above the nebula to black.

Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS)

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: April 29, 2024

The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

The Horsehead Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

This image was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-InfraRed Camera) instrument.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Misselt (University of Arizona) and A. Abergel (IAS/University Paris-Saclay, CNRS)

Release Date: April 29, 2024

United Arab Emirates Astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori | NASA Portrait

United Arab Emirates Astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori | NASA Portrait

Hazza Al Mansoori is an Emirati astronaut and was the first person from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in space. In 2019, he embarked on the UAE's first scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission slogan was 'Zayed's Ambition', making the UAE the 19th country worldwide, and the first country in the Arab region, to travel to the International Space Station. Mansoori was assigned to the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft, alongside Russian commander Oleg Skripochka and American flight engineer Jessica Meir of NASA. They launched to the International Space Station on September 25, 2019. In this picture, Mansouri is wearing the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) spacesuit used for extravehicular activities (EVAs) or spacewalks.

The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is an independent anthropomorphic spacesuit that provides environmental protection, mobility, life support, and communications for astronauts performing extravehicular activity (EVA) in Earth orbit. Introduced in 1981, it is a two-piece semi-rigid suit, and is currently one of two types of EVA spacesuits used by crew members on the International Space Station (ISS), the other being the Russian Orlan space suit.

Image Credit: NASA/JSC/Bill Stafford and Riley McClenaghan

Image Date: July 11, 2023

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Astronaut #HazzaAlMansoori #UAE #MBRSC #Astronauts #UnitedStates #JSC #Spacesuit #EMU #Spacewalk #EVA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition61 #Expedition62 #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Photography #History #STEM #Education

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Star Diary: The Moon Lies in The Teapot (April 29 to May 5, 2024) | BBC

Star Diary: The Moon Lies in The Teapot (April 29 to May 5, 2024) | BBC

Northern Hemisphere Night Sky Highlights: See the Moon sit inside the Teapot asterism this week, while a quartet of asteroids moves across the night sky. Find out how to catch these and more stargazing highlights in this week’s podcast guide, Star Diary, April 29 to May 5, 2024.

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 30 minutes

Release Date: April 28, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Planets #SolarSystem #Asteroids #Comets #Stars #Planets #Constellations #StarClusters #MilkyWayGalaxy #Galaxies #Universe #Skywatching #BBC #UK #Britain #Europe #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China-European Space Agency Science Mission: Einstein Probe’s First X-ray Images

China-European Space Agency Science Mission: Einstein Probe’s First X-ray Images

The first images captured by the Einstein Probe (爱因斯坦探针) were revealed during the 7th Joint Workshop of the Einstein Probe Consortium, held in Beijing, China, from April 24 to 26, 2024. The Einstein Probe (爱因斯坦探针) is a collaboration led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), Germany.

The Einstein Probe is equipped with a new generation of X-ray instruments with high sensitivity and a very wide view, designed to observe powerful blasts of X-ray light coming from neutron stars and black holes. China launched the X-ray satellite Einstein Probe (EP) on January 9, 2024. It will help scientists further unlock valuable information about the universe by observing distant flashes from cosmic events.

"The Einstein Probe can capture sudden cosmic burst events, or violent activities of celestial bodies. This kind of celestial body that suddenly appears in the universe, lasts for a few moments, and then disappears quickly is called a transient," said Yuan Weimin, chief scientist of the Einstein Probe.

There are many spectacular transients and bursts in the universe from stellar activities near the solar system to gamma ray bursts from the distant early universe. They can generate huge radioactive energy in a very short period of time, concentrated in the X-ray band, producing complex and changing brightness levels like sparkling fireworks. Such transients and bursts originate from the critical stages of the formation and evolution of celestial bodies, and carry key information for studying the universe. However, due to absorption by the Earth's atmosphere, X-rays containing valuable information cannot reach the ground.

"These transients are relatively far away, and their signals are relatively dim. They appear randomly in space. We don't know when and in what direction they appear. So it is difficult for current satellites to detect them, and we need a monitor with very high sensitivity and large field-of-view. That's why we developed the Einstein Probe—to capture these more remote and dimmer transients and bursts," Yuan said.

Learn more about the international Einstein Probe X-ray Mission:

https://www.mpe.mpg.de/7984975/news20240109

Credit: EPSC, NAO/CAS; DSS; ESO/China Central Television (CCTV)

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 1 minute, 47 seconds

Release Date: April 28, 2024

#NASA #ESA #CAS #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Satellite #EinsteinProbe #爱因斯坦探针 #China #中国 #Cosmos #Universe #Xray #Transients #MPE #Germany #Deutschland #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Night Sky Treasures: The Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Regulus Star & Comet C/2014 Q1

Night Sky Treasures: The Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Regulus Star & Comet C/2014 Q1

A treasure trove of jewels are revealed in the night sky. Biggest and brightest, the full Moon is flanked by the planets Venus and Jupiter, the second brightest objects in the photo. While, in the upper right, the star Regulus completes a cosmic cross. Near the horizon, comet C/2014 Q1 (PANSTARRS) displays its two tails as it traverses the Solar System.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/Alberto Ghizzi Panizza

Alberto's website: www.albertoghizzipanizza.com

Release Date: November 24, 2015

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #SouthAmerica #Chile #AtacamaDesert #Moon #Venus #Jupiter #Comets #CometC2014Q1 #SolarSystem #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #STEM #Education

Ceremony: Shenzhou-17 Crew Ready for Earth Return | China Space Station

Ceremony: Shenzhou-17 Crew Ready for Earth Return | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-17 astronauts handed over control of the Tiangong space station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-18 crew on Sunday, April 28, 2024, and are ready to return to Earth, said the China Manned Space Agency.

The three Shenzhou-17 astronauts have completed all set tasks for their six-month stay in space.

At around 15:00 (Beijing Time), the two crews held a handover ceremony, with Shenzhou-17 astronauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, and Shenzhou-18 astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu signing their names on handover confirmation documents.

"I hereby pass the hatch key symbolizing the baton to you. Starting from now, you officially take over the operation and management of the space station," said Tang, mission commander of the Shenzhou-17 crew.

"Alright. We, the crew of Shenzhou 18, will surely do our utmost to run our leg of this space relay of the Shenzhou family," said Ye, mission commander of the Shenzhou-18 crew.

The Shenzhou-17 crew are due to return to Earth on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, aboard the Shenzhou-17 spaceship.

The Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is now preparing for the return of Shenzhou-17 from space.

The Shenzhou-18 crew entered the space station in the early hours of Friday (Beijing Time).

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (汤洪波, Commander)

Shengjie Tang (唐胜杰, Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (江新林, Mission Specialist)

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: April 28, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #Shenzhou17 #神舟十七号 #CrewSpacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Space Environment Simulation Laboratory | NASA's Johnson Space Center

Space Environment Simulation Laboratory | NASA's Johnson Space Center

This is Building 32, Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. After it was constructed in 1965, the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) tested all Apollo command and service modules, Apollo lunar modules, spacesuits for extra-vehicular activity, the Skylab/Apollo telescope mount system, Space Shuttle systems, the Apollo/Soyuz docking module and various large scale scientific satellite systems, such as the parabolic reflector subsystem of the Applications Technology Satellite. The thermal vacuum testing done at the SESL since 1965 has been a significant factor contributing to the success of both the crewed and uncrewed space program of the United States.

Johnson Space Center’s Chamber A is a 16.8 m (55 ft) diameter x 27.4 m (90 ft) high, thermal-vacuum test facility and is famous for testing the Apollo spacecraft, with and without the mission crew. Its usable test volume and high-fidelity space simulation capabilities are adaptable for thermal-vacuum testing of a wide variety of test articles, including entire space vehicles. Test articles are normally inserted into the chamber by means of a precision, mobile crane. The dual crew-locks, when configured for human testing, provide a means for the test crew to move from ambient air pressure to the thermal-vacuum environment and back. They also provide for the maintenance of rescue personnel at convenient intermediate pressures during crew test operations. When the inner door is bolted, either of the crew-locks can be used as an altitude chamber for independent tests.

Additional test support equipment includes mass spectrometers, infrared cameras and television cameras. The numerous flanges at all levels provide ample pass-throughs for electrical, instrumentation and gasses to support large systems.

Chamber A was upgraded to support the James Webb Space Telescope test program. Additions involved an ultra-clean hydrocarbon-free high vacuum pumping systems and the ability to simulate the extremely low temperatures of deep space (35K) within a 45 foot diameter by 80 foot tall shroud volume. The chamber systems are now able to maintain class 10,000 clean room conditions for ambient operations.

Image Credit: NASA/JSC/Robert Markowitz

Image Date: Aug. 7, 2023

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #SpaceSimulation #Laboratory #ThermalVacuumChamber #NASAJohnson #JSC #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #ApolloProgram #SpaceShuttleProgram #STS #JWST #SpaceTelescopes #History #Photography #STEM #Education

Saturday, April 27, 2024

China Shenzhou-18 Rocket Liftoff: Multiple Views | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

China Shenzhou-18 Rocket Liftoff: Multiple Views | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

China successfully sent a new crew of three astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-18 spaceship into orbit and to the China Space Station on the night of April 25, 2024. The China Media Group has released footage showing multiple angles of the moment the spaceship lifted off.

Shenzhou-18 is the seventh crew of three astronauts on a mission to the China Space Station.

Shenzhou-18 Crew

Ye Guangfu (commander)

Li Cong (mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (mission specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 15 seconds

Release Date: April 25, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #JiuquanLaunchCenter #Rocket #LongMarch2FY18 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #CrewSpacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Regulus Star & Dwarf Galaxy Leo I

Regulus Star & Dwarf Galaxy Leo I

In northern hemisphere spring, bright star Regulus is easy to spot above the eastern horizon. The alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus is the spiky star centered in this telescopic field of view. A mere 79 light-years distant, Regulus is a hot, rapidly spinning star that is known to be part of a multiple star system. Not quite lost in the glare, the fuzzy patch just below Regulus is diffuse starlight from small galaxy Leo I.

Leo I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, a member of the Local Group of galaxies dominated by our Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). About 800 thousand light-years away, Leo I is thought to be the most distant of the known small satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. But dwarf galaxy Leo I has shown evidence of a supermassive black hole at its center, comparable in mass to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Image Credit & Copyright: Markus Horn

Markus' website:

https://astrophoto-hannover.de/index.html

Release Date: April 26, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Star #Regulus #LeoI #DwarfGalaxy #Leo #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #Optical #Astrophotographer #MarkusHorn #Astrophotography #Hannover #Germany #Deutschland #STEM #Education #APoD

China Unveils Latest Progress on Moon Exploration Projects & Plans

China Unveils Latest Progress on Moon Exploration Projects & Plans

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, revealed the latest developments in its lunar exploration projects at an event held in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, along with a preview of their plans ahead.

The unveiling of the concept video for the international lunar research base has generated great anticipation, showcasing the diverse range of functions of the base.

The project is envisioned as a comprehensive scientific experimental base capable of conducting interdisciplinary and multi-objective research activities focusing on lunar exploration and utilization. It will be capable of long-term independent operation, either on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit.

With the continuous accumulation of its deep space exploration technology and experience,China has developed research directions for deep space and international lunar scientific research stations.

"We were able to reach the moon in the past, but now our main focus is to conduct scientific experiments and exploration on its surface. We used to go to a certain point, but now we aim for extensive and in-depth exploration. Previously, government initiatives took the lead, but now there is a shift towards actively involving commercial space ventures under government guidance. Multiple countries are joining forces and collaborating to conduct exploration together," said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.

Wu further explained that the international lunar research base will be constructed in two phases. The first one aims to establish comprehensive scientific facilities with basic functions and essential supporting elements around the lunar south pole by 2035. The second phase plans to build a well-equipped and stable facility of considerable scale around the lunar orbital station by 2045.

"The moon serves as a starting point, and an international lunar research station will provide a platform for long-term scientific research, work and habitation, paving the way for future human exploration into deeper space. It will serve as a technological, material, and intellectual reservoir, preparing us for future missions to Mars and other distant destinations in space," said Wu.

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 2 minutes, 18 seconds

Release Date: April 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Satellites #Earth #China #中国 #Moon #ILRS #国际月球科研站 #CNSA #CMSA #Astronauts #LunarLanders #LunarRovers #SpaceTechnology #LunarResearch #SpaceExploration #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Astronauts Williams & Wilmore Arrive in Florida

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Astronauts Williams & Wilmore Arrive in Florida

NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) & Butch Wilmore (right)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for photos during a news conference at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida following their arrival for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test on a Northrop T-38 Talon jet. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Williams and Wilmore are the first crew to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Liftoff for the International Space Station is currently scheduled for 10:34 p.m. ET on Monday, May 6.

NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/people/sunita-l-williams/

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/williams-s.pdf

NASA Astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/barry-e-wilmore/biography

For more info on Starliner, visit:

boeing.com/starliner

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

Image Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

Image Date: April 25, 2024

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Tuesday, April 30, 2024

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Saturday, April 27, 2024