New Comet Discovered: Introducing Comet SWAN25F

New Comet Discovered: Introducing Comet SWAN25F

Amateur astronomers are monitoring a bright new comet easily detectable by backyard telescopes. Introducing, Comet SWAN25F . . . 

The comet is named after the SWAN camera onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Australian amateur astronomer Michael Mattiazzo noticed the comet in online images. SWAN is a special camera that maps hydrogen in the solar wind. This suggests the comet may be rich in the element.

"The comet's tail is at least 2 degrees long," says Michael Jaeger, who teamed up with Gerald Rhemann to photograph the comet low in the morning sky from Weißenkirchen, Austria:

"At the turn of the month, the comet could become brighter than 5th magnitude," predicts Jaeger.

"The comet appears to be brightening quite quickly," says Nick James of the British Astronomical Association. "It is too early to predict what the peak brightness will be. We need a few more days of observations to confirm the current trend, but it should become at least a binocular object."

Image Credit: Michael Jaeger & Gerald Rhemann
Capture Date: April 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planet #Earth #Comets #Comet #CometSWAN25F #OortCloud #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #MichaelMattiazzo #MichaelJaeger #GeraldRhemann #Astrophotographers #Austria #Australia #STEM #Education

Jonny Kim: “Lifelong Learning” | NASA Astronaut Moments | Johnson Space Center

Jonny Kim: “Lifelong Learning” | NASA Astronaut Moments | Johnson Space Center

Dedicated to a life full of learning, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is well-prepared for his first mission to the International Space Station, where he will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to support future space missions and to provide benefits to people on Earth.

The former Navy SEAL and emergency medicine resident launched on a Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft on April 8, 2025, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia. Jonny Kim will serve as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 72/73 crew for approximately eight months.

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim's Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/jonny-kim/

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Producer/Editor:  John Streeter
Videographer: Charles Clendaniel
Audio Sound Design: Greg Wiseman
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: April 8, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Moon #ArtemisProgram #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Astronaut #JonnyKim #FlightEngineer #Pilot #NavalAviator #FlightSurgeon #KoreanAmerican #AsianAmerican #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition72 #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video #대한민국

How Do Astronauts Practice Self-Care in Space? | International Space Station

How Do Astronauts Practice Self-Care in Space? | International Space Station

Everyone needs a little self-care. However, what does that look like for astronauts orbiting 250 miles above Earth? See how crew members may turn to music, movies, and more to unwind and recharge.

NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) uses research to develop methods to protect the health and performance of astronauts in space. With the goal of traveling to Mars and beyond, HRP is using ground research facilities, the International Space Station, and analog environments to enable cutting-edge science.

Learn more about the ongoing research exploring human health in space at NASA’s Human Research Program: www.nasa.gov/hrp

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center 
Duration: 1 minute, 40 seconds
Release Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Moon #Mars #Astronauts #AstronautHealth #HumanHealth #PsychologicalHealth #HumanResearchProgram #HumanSpaceflight #LongDurationMissions #MoonToMars #MicrogravityResearch #SpaceLaboratory #Europe #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Arrival | International Space Station

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Arrival | International Space Station

At 7:28 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the hatch opened between the International Space Station and the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia. Earlier at 4:57 a.m. EDT, the spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Prichal module.

The trio joined Expedition 72, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Kirill Peskov, and Ivan Vagner of Russia. The newly arrived crew members will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbital laboratory, returning to Earth in December 2025.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner of Russia. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 1 minute, 41 seconds
Capture Date: April 8, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition72 #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education #HD #Video

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew: Rocket Liftoff in Kazakhstan

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew: Rocket Liftoff in Kazakhstan

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft and its rocket successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:47 a.m. EDT (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) on April 8, 2025, to the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia. At 4:57 a.m. EDT, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Prichal module.

The trio joined Expedition 72, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Kirill Peskov, and Ivan Vagner of Russia. The newly arrived crew members will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbital laboratory, returning to Earth in December 2025.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Capture Date: April 8, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew: Pre-launch Activities in Kazakhstan

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew: Pre-launch Activities in Kazakhstan

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim plays rock, paper, scissors with his children as he waits to have his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as he and fellow crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy prepare 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.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is seen as he prepares to have his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as he and fellow crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy prepare for their Soyuz launch.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim prepares to have his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov of Russia has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, front row left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy receive the traditional blessing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing for suit-up and launch on a Soyuz rocket, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Zubritskiy and Sergey Ryzhikov, right, are seen as they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel to suit-up for their Soyuz launch.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim waves as he prepares to depart the Cosmonaut Hotel with fellow crewmates Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy to suit-up for their Soyuz launch.

In these pictures, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy of Russia, prepare for their Soyuz rocket launch to the International Space Station Tuesday, April 8, 2025 (April 7 Eastern Time) in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. 

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft and its crew successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:47 a.m. EDT (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) on April 8, 2025, to the International Space Station. At 4:57 a.m. EDT, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Prichal module. 

The trio joined Expedition 72, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Kirill Peskov, and Ivan Vagner of Russia. The newly arrived crew members will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbital laboratory, returning to Earth in December 2025.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Capture Date: April 8, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Rocket Launch in Kazakhstan

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Rocket Launch in Kazakhstan

The Soyuz MS-27 successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:47 a.m. EDT (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) on April 8, 2025, to the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia. At 4:57 a.m. EDT, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Prichal module. Once aboard, the trio will join Expedition 72, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Kirill Peskov, and Ivan Vagner of Russia. The newly arrived crew members will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbital laboratory, returning to Earth in December.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/Roscosmos
Duration: 49 seconds
Capture Date: April 8, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education #HD #Video

An Asteroid Passes through a Hamburger (Galaxy): April 7-13, 2025 | BBC

An Asteroid Passes through a Hamburger (Galaxy): April 7-13, 2025 | BBC

"Watch the asteroid Flora as at passes by the Hamburger Galaxy this week. Find out how to see it in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine."

Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/virtual-events

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 18 minutes
Release Date: April 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Moon #Earth #Asteroids #Planets #SolarSystem #Stars #StarClusters #Constellations #Nebulae #MilkyWayGalaxy #NGC3628 #HamburgerGalaxy #Universe #Skywatching #BBC #UK #Britain #Europe #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #Podcast #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter Stacking

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter Stacking

A massive crane lifts the launch vehicle stage adapter 250 feet into the air on Thursday, April 3, 2025, to prepare integration onto the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A massive crane lifts the launch vehicle stage adapter 250 feet into the air on Thursday, April 3, 2025, to prepare integration onto the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A massive crane lifts the launch vehicle stage adapter 250 feet into the air on Thursday, April 3, 2025, to prepare integration onto the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A massive crane lowers the launch vehicle stage adapter onto the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A massive crane lowers the launch vehicle stage adapter onto the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II hardware, the launch vehicle stage adapter, is inside High Bay 4 on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rocket stacking operations.

NASA rolled out a key piece of space flight hardware for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis campaign from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, for shipment to the agency’s spaceport in Florida.

NASA rolled out a key piece of space flight hardware for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis campaign from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, for shipment to the agency’s spaceport in Florida.

The cone shaped launch vehicle stage adapter connects the Space Launch System (SLS) Moon rocket to the upper stage, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, and protects the rocket’s flight computers, avionics, and electrical devices during launch and ascent during the Artemis missions.

The Artemis II test flight will be sending NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a ten-day journey around the Moon and back.

Artemis II will launch no earlier than April 2026.

Learn more about NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: nasa.gov/sls

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credits: NASA/Isaac Watson/Frank Michaux/Sam Lott/Brandon Hancock
Image Dates: Aug. 8, 2024-April 3, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #LVSA #NASASLS #SpaceLaunchSystem #Astronauts #CrewedMission #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #SpaceEngineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #MSFC #KSC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education 

NASA's Earth Science Programs: "Powering America's Future for The Benefit of All"

NASA's Earth Science Programs: "Powering America's Future for The Benefit of All"

Did you know the very same cutting-edge technology NASA uses to study other planets is exactly what we use to study our own?

From the ground, air, and skies, NASA gathers information crucial to life here on Earth, and we build instruments and technologies and programs that equip the United States to meet critical, real-world challenges.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Katie Jepson (eMITS)
Project Support: Mike Carlowicz (NASA/HQ)
Project Support: Grace Weikert (eMITS)
Project Support: Kathleen Gaeta Greer (NASA/GSFC/AMA)
Project Support: Charles Connell (NASA Intern)

Technical support: Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Earth #Planet #Science #EarthScience #EarthSciences #Satellites #AirborneScience #EarthObservingSystem #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #Biology #Geology #Chemistry #Physics #HumanSpaceflight #Spaceflight #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Pre-Launch Press Conference in Kazakhstan

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Pre-Launch Press Conference in Kazakhstan

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy of Russia seen in quarantine, behind glass, as they pose for a picture following a press conference

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy of Russia seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Monday, April 7, 2025 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Monday, April 7, 2025 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference

Expedition 73 crewmembers NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, left, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy seen during the State Commission meeting to approve the Soyuz launch of Expedition 73 to the International Space Station

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-27 prime and backup crews completed final pre-flight training for the scheduled launch April 8, 2025, of Expedition 73 crew members NASA’s Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia on the start of a planned eight-month mission to the International Space Station. The training activities that took place March 12 to April 4 included the rollout of the Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle to its launch pad in Baikonur April 5.

They will orbit Earth twice before docking to the Pirs docking compartment just over three hours later. The trio will stay in space for an eight-month research mission.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Capture Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Prepares for Launch | International Space Station

US & Russian Soyuz MS-27 Crew Prepares for Launch | International Space Station

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-27 prime and backup crews completed final pre-flight training for the scheduled launch April 8, 2025, of Expedition 73 crew members NASA’s Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Russia on the start of a planned eight-month mission to the International Space Station. The training activities that took place March 12 to April 4 includes the rollout of the Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle to its launch pad in Baikonur April 5.

They will orbit Earth twice before docking to the Pirs docking compartment just over three hours later. The trio will stay in space for an eight-month research mission.

Less than two weeks after the new crew’s arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit will return to Earth with Expedition 72 Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner. Ovchinin and Vagner are Roscosmos cosmonauts. The veteran crewmates will board the Soyuz MS-26 crew ship, undock from the Rassvet module, and parachute to a landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later ending a seven-month mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi will take over command of the space station from Ovchinin the day before he leaves with Pettit and Vagner. Expedition 72 will end and Expedition 73 will officially begin the moment the Soyuz MS-26 undocks from Rassvet.

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 7 minutes
Release Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS27Spacecraft #Союз #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #Cosmonauts #SergeyRyzhikov #AlexeyZubritskiy #Astronaut #JonnyKim #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Expedition73 #SpaceLaboratory #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Spiral Galaxy NGC 4941 in Virgo | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: Spiral Galaxy NGC 4941 in Virgo | Hubble Space Telescope

This NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope picture features the picturesque spiral galaxy NGC 4941. It lies about 67 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo (The Maiden). Because this galaxy is nearby, cosmically speaking, Hubble’s keen instruments are able to pick out exquisite details, such as individual star clusters and filamentary clouds of gas and dust.

The data used to construct this image were collected as part of an observing program that investigates the star formation and stellar feedback cycle in nearby galaxies. As stars form in dense, cold clumps of gas, they begin to influence their surroundings. Stars heat and stir up the gas clouds where they are born through winds, starlight, and—eventually, for massive stars—by exploding as supernovae. These processes are collectively called stellar feedback, and they impact the rate that a galaxy can form new stars.

As it turns out, stars are not the only entities providing feedback in NGC 4941. At the heart of this galaxy lies an active galactic nucleus: a supermassive black hole feasting on gas. As the black hole amasses gas from its surroundings, the gas swirls into a superheated disc that glows brightly at wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. Similar to stars—but on a much, much larger scale—active galactic nuclei shape their surroundings through winds, radiation, and powerful jets, altering not only star formation but also the evolution of the galaxy as a whole.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy seen at a diagonal angle. Its very center is a bright white glowing orb, surrounded by an inner disc of golden light. This is wrapped in a broad outer disc that glows more dimly with patchy, broken spiral arms swirling around it, filled with small blue and pink star clusters. Dark reddish threads of dust also spiral through the disc with strands reaching into the core.

Video Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 31, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC4941 #StellarFeedback #AGN #BlackHole #Virgo #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Aurora Activity on Planet Uranus | Hubble Space Telescope

Aurora Activity on Planet Uranus | Hubble Space Telescope

This Hubble image shows Uranus and dynamic aurora activity on October 10, 2022. The planet is dominated by a blue hue and a large white region in the lower left. A faint ring is also visible around the planet. Fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet on the left and ride indicate the presence of aurorae.

This visual shows three panels that each show Uranus and dynamic aurora activity. The images were captured in October 2022 on the 8th, 10, and 24th respectively. Each image shows a planet with a strong blue hue and a visible white region. A faint ring is also visible around the planet in each image. Each image shows fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet in distinct locations to indicate the aurorae.

These images of Uranus’ aurorae was taken by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope in October 2022. These observations were made by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and includes visible and ultraviolet data.

An international team of astronomers used Hubble to make new measurements of Uranus' interior rotation rate by analyzing more than a decade of the telescope’s observations of Uranus’ aurorae. This refinement of the planet’s rotation period achieved a level of accuracy 1,000 times greater than previous estimates and serves as a crucial new reference point for future planetary research.

Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, L. Lamy, L. Sromovsky
Release Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Sun #SolarWind #SolarSystem #Planets #Planet #Uranus #Atmosphere #Aurora #Aurorae #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #STIS #Ultraviolet #VisibleLight #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Planetary Nebula Kohoutek 4-55 in Cygnus | Hubble

Planetary Nebula Kohoutek 4-55 in Cygnus | Hubble

The swirling, paint-like clouds in the darkness of space in this image seem surreal, like a portal to another world opening up before us. In this NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope picture, we are seeing vast clouds of ionized atoms and molecules, thrown into space by a dying star. This is a planetary nebula named Kohoutek 4-55, a member of the Milky Way galaxy situated just 4,600 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan).

Planetary nebulae are the spectacular final display at the end of a giant star’s life. Once a red giant star has exhausted its available fuel and shed its last layers of gas, its compact core will contract further, enabling a final burst of nuclear fusion. The exposed core reaches extremely hot temperatures, radiating very energetic ultraviolet light that energizes the enormous clouds of cast-off gas. Molecules in the gas are ionized and glow brightly; here, red and orange indicate nitrogen molecules, green is hydrogen and blue shows oxygen in the nebula. Kohoutek 4-55 has an uncommon, multi-layered form: a bright inner ring is surrounded by a fainter layer of gas, all wrapped in a broad halo of ionised nitrogen. The spectacle is bittersweet, as the brief phase of fusion in the core will end after mere tens of thousands of years, leaving a white dwarf that will never illuminate the clouds around it again.

This image itself is also a swan song, the final work of one of Hubble’s instruments: the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2). Installed in 1993 to replace the original Wide Field and Planetary Camera, WFPC2 was responsible for some of Hubble’s most enduring images and fascinating discoveries. It in turn was replaced by the Wide Field Camera 3 in 2009, during Hubble’s final servicing mission. The data for this image were taken a mere ten days before the instrument was removed from the telescope, as a fitting send-off for WFPC2 after 16 years’ work. The latest and most advanced processing techniques have been used to bring the data to life one more time, producing this breathtaking new view of Kohoutek 4-55.

Image Description: A planetary nebula, a glowing shell of material thrown off by a star. A small central region of greenish clouds is encircled by a glowing, jagged ring, like a hole torn in fabric. A band of silvery-blue clouds outside this is again encircled by a larger, fainter yellow ring of gas. Puffy, smoky clouds of orange and red gas billow out from there into a large oval nebula, fading into the dark background of space.

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll
Release Date: April 7, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Nebulae #Nebula #PlanetaryNebula #PNK455 #Kohoutek455 #Cygnus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Globular Star Cluster NGC 6397 in Ara | Hubble Space Telescope

Globular Star Cluster NGC 6397 in Ara | Hubble Space Telescope

This glittering image captures a globular cluster called NGC 6397 (also known as Caldwell 86) that was discovered by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1752. It sits 7,800 light-years away within the Milky Way galaxy, making it one of the closest globular clusters to Earth in the constellation Ara.

The cluster's blue stars are near the end of their lives. These stars have used up their hydrogen fuel that makes them shine. Now they are converting helium to energy in their cores. This fuses at a higher temperature resulting in a blue color.

The reddish glow is from red giant stars that have consumed their hydrogen fuel and have expanded in size. The myriad small white objects include stars like our Sun.

Learn more: "How White Dwarfs Get Their ‘Kicks’"
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/how-white-dwarfs-get-their-kicks/

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and H. Richer (University of British Columbia)
Capture Date: Dec. 4, 2007

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #NGC6397 #Caldwell86 #StarClusters #GlobularStarClusters #Ara #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

NASA Astronaut Anne McClain Talks with Seattle TV | International Space Station

NASA Astronaut Anne McClain Talks with Seattle TV | International Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 72 flight engineer Anne McClain of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 31, 2025, with Fox13 News, Seattle. McClain is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.  

Veteran Astronaut Anne McClain NASA Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/anne-c-mcclain/
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/anne-c-mcclain/

Expedition 72 Updates:

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

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science
For more information about STEM on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 19 minutes
Release Date: March 31, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Astronauts #DonPettit #AnnMcClain #NicholeAyers  #TakuyaOnishi #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityResearch #InternationalCooperation #Expedition72 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Earth Aurora: Part 2 | International Space Station

Earth Aurora: Part 2 | International Space Station

Expedition 72 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Don Pettit on April 5, 2025: "Green vaporous turbulence; tonight’s show of aurora from 

the International Space Station."

Learn more about aurora:
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Expedition 72 Updates:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science
For more information about STEM on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 13 seconds
Release Date: April 13, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planet #Earth #Aurora #Astronauts #DonPettit #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityResearch #InternationalCooperation #Expedition72 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Earth Aurora: Part 1 | International Space Station

Earth Aurora: Part 1 | International Space Station

Expedition 72 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Don Pettit on April 4, 2025: "Aurora seen today from the International Space Station while orbit was passing between Australia and Antarctica; photographer Jannicke Mikkelsen now on the private FRAM2 space mission will be having an even better view in their polar orbit."

Learn more about aurora:
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Expedition 72 Updates:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

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.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science
For more information about STEM on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 17 seconds
Release Date: April 4, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planet #Earth #Aurora #Astronauts #DonPettit #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityResearch #InternationalCooperation #Expedition72 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-19 Crew: Mechanical, Robotic & Medical Tests | China Space Station

Shenzhou-19 Crew: Mechanical, Robotic & Medical Tests | China Space Station

China's Shenzhou-19 crew, who has worked in the Tiangong Space Station for more than 150 days, performed a series of scientific experiments and tests last week, covering fields, such as mechanics, robotics and medicine.

The experiments were conducted by the three astronauts—Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, after they completed the third extravehicular activities.

The trio carried out experiments on equipment withdrawal, sample collection, and component reassembly and reuse, aiming to provide data support for the research and development of high-performance space components.

They tested pipe inspection robots and achieved a image detection of ventilation ducts, laying a technical foundation for the space station to realize self-examinations in the future.

They also completed medical experiments such as blood collection, centrifugal treatment, and cryopreservation, and coordinated an eye tracker and a laptop to record data on their eye movements in the station's microgravity environment.

They maintained the regenerative life support system in the space station and conducted physical examinations for themselves, including blood routine and blood biochemistry tests, body weight measurement, and intraocular pressure and fundus checks.

With the assistance of the station's exercise equipment, they gathered data on what effects the zero-gravity environment has on human bodies.

Besides experiments and tests, the astronauts underwent emergency response trainings, such as quickly putting on and taking off pressure suits to enhance their capability to respond the emergency situations in a zero-gravity conditions and provide data for the improvement of emergency withdrawal pre-planning.

The Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 30, 2024.

Shenzhou-19 Crew:
Commander Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲)
Mission Specialist Wang Haoze (王浩泽)
Mission Specialist Song Lingdong (宋令东)

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: April 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou19 #神舟十九号 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #MicrogravityResearch #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #LongDurationMissions #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video