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Expedition 71 Preflight | Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, top, Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, bottom, wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft for a launch attempt, Thursday, March 21, 2024 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya talk as they prepare to have their Russian Sokol suits press checked as they and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson prepare for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson has her Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as she and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya prepare for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station
Expedition 71 backup crewmember NASA astronaut Don Pettit shows a photo he made on his smart phone of NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson having her Russian Sokol suit pressure checked, Thursday, March 21, 2024 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, right, wave as they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel to suit-up for their Soyuz launch attempt to the International Space Station, Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
The March 21, 2024, launch of the crewed Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft was scrubbed at the 20-second mark today. More information on the viability of the next available launch opportunity is forthcoming. These pictures from are a sneak preview ahead of the next launch attempt.
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are preparing to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft.
Dyson will spend approximately six months on the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth in April on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Expedition 71 Pre-Launch Press Conference in Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Dyson, Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on Thursday, March 21.
Dyson will spend approximately six months on the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Expedition 71 Pre-Launch Crew Meeting & Press Conference in Kazakhstan: Part 2
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, right, are seen during the State Commission meeting to approve the Soyuz launch of Expedition 71 to the International Space Station, Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson
Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Wednesday, March 20, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference and State Commission meeting to approve the Soyuz launch, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Dyson, Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on Thursday, March 21.
Dyson will spend approximately six months on the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Expedition 71 Pre-Launch Crew Press Conference in Kazakhstan: Part 1
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Wednesday, March 20, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson
Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya
Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Dyson, Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on Thursday, March 21.
Dyson will spend approximately six months on the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Exploring Next-Gen Spacesuits with Former NASA Astronauts | Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace is building new space suits for NASA's Artemis Moon Missions. Former NASA astronauts Danny Olivas and Dan Burbank delve into the cutting-edge world of next-generation spacesuit capabilities. In this video, these seasoned space explorers share their insights and expertise on the latest advancements in spacesuit technology, offering a glimpse into the future of space exploration.
Expedition 71 Soyuz Rocket: Traditional Blessings from Russian Orthodox Priest
Russian Orthodox Priest Father Daniil gives blessings at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad with the Soyuz rocket in the background, Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Kazakhstan. Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on March 21.
Dyson will spend approximately six months on the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
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.
NASA Astronaut Moments: Tracy Dyson | International Space Station
A veteran of two spaceflights, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson is prepared for her third mission to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft, launching from Kazakhstan on March 21, 2024. This mission as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer is a testament to the California native’s lifetime dedication to exploration and to her deep admiration for her dad, who taught her electrician skills she’s used in space. Over the next six months, Dyson will study how fire spreads and behaves in space with the Combustion Integrated Rack and will contribute to the Crew Earth Observations study.
Dyson will travel to the station with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, both of whom will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
Dyson will return to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Science on SpaceX's 30th Cargo Resupply Mission | International Space Station
NASA and international partners are scheduled to launch scientific investigations on the 30th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, including tests of technologies to monitor sea ice, automate 3D mapping, and create nanoparticle solar cells. The company’s Dragon cargo spacecraft is NASA’s SpaceX 30th commercial resupply mission to the station. It is currently scheduled for launch at 4:55 p.m. EDT Thursday, March 21, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida.
The Dragon cargo craft will deliver food, supplies, and new science investigations to the crew, including a set of sensors for the free-flying Astrobee robots and a new botany experiment to examine how two types of grass capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Dragon will autonomously dock to the zenith port of the Harmony module at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23.
Read more about some of the research making the journey to the orbiting laboratory:
Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy Dyson of NASA | International Space Station
NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson participated in live virtual interviews on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, ahead of her launch to the International Space Station. Dyson is scheduled to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft Thursday, March 21, and will spend approximately six months on the space station. She will travel to the station with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, both of whom will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.
During her expedition, Dyson will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations that help prepare humans for future space missions and benefit people on Earth. Among the hundreds of experiments ongoing during her mission, Dyson will continue to study how fire spreads and behaves in space with the Combustion Integrated Rack, as well as contribute to the long-running Crew Earth Observations study by photographing Earth to better understand how our planet is changing over time.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
Expedition 71 Crew Prepares for Launch in Kazakhstan | International Space Station
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the International Space Station’s Expedition 71 crew, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, Soyuz commander Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (Russia) and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya participated in a variety of activities March 6-18, 2024, as they prepared for their upcoming mission. Dyson, Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya are set to launch March 21 from Baikonur in the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station.
The backup Soyuz crewmates also attended the preparation activities, including NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonaut Ivan Vagner and Anastasia Lenkova of Belarus. The footage includes the crew’s arrival in Baikonur, their Soyuz fit checks in the Cosmodrome’s Integration Facility and other training milestones.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
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.
The SOAR Telescope: A Southern Celestial Wayfinder in Chile
The stars are perfectly aligned in this image of the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope, located on Cerro Pachón in Chile and operated by Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab. The Milky Way galaxy appears to be pouring out of the open dome and spilling across the colorful sky. The wash of yellow and green near the horizon is a mix of airglow and light pollution from nearby villages. Where the two colors transition, the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud shine through (lower left). However, near the center of this image is a truly notable grouping: the constellation Crux. Also known as the Southern Cross, it is discoverable by its red star (the top of the cross) and three nearby blue stars that form a cross shape. This grouping of stars has been a beacon for both European and Pacific Islander navigators for centuries. Its navigational use is akin to Polaris, but instead of directing people to the North Pole, Crux points—roughly—towards the South Pole.
NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft intentionally crashed into Dimorphos, the asteroid moonlet in the double-asteroid system of Didymos on September 26, 2022. This was the first planetary defense test in which an impact of a spacecraft attempted to modify the orbit of an asteroid. The SOAR Telescope imaged the more than 10,000 kilometers long trail of debris blasted from the surface of Dimorphos two days after the impact. These observations are allowing scientists to gain knowledge about the nature of the surface of Dimorphos, how much material was ejected by the collision, how fast it was ejected, and the distribution of particle sizes in the expanding dust cloud—for example, whether the impact caused the moonlet to throw off big chunks of material or mostly fine dust. Analyzing this information will help scientists protect Earth and its inhabitants by better understanding the amount and nature of the ejecta resulting from an impact, and how that might modify an asteroid’s orbit.
This gigantic 900-megapixel photo was taken as part of the NOIRLab 2022 Photo Expedition to all the NOIRLab sites. Tomas Slovinský, the photographer, is a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.
NASA Astronaut Thomas Stafford: Commander of First U.S.-Russian Space Mission
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford: Official NASA Portrait (April 12, 1972)
Apollo 10 Lunar Orbit Mission: Left to right, are Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot; John W. Young, command module pilot; and Thomas P. Stafford, commander. In the background is the Apollo 10 space vehicle on Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida (May 13, 1969)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo 9 commander, is suited up at the Kennedy Space Center for a Countdown Demonstration Test (May 13, 1969)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Gemini-6 prime crew pilot, is pictured onboard the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever in the Gulf of Mexico during water egress training (August 23, 1965)
Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (foreground), command pilot, and Eugene A. Cernan, pilot, walk up the ramp at Pad 19 during the Gemini-9A prelaunch countdown (June 3, 1966)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, command pilot of the Gemini-9 prime crew, undergoes familiarization training with the Gemini-9 spacecraft at the McDonnell plant in St. Louis (February 8, 1966)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, pilot, is pictured in the Gemini-6 spacecraft in the White Room atop Pad 19 prior to the closing of the hatches during the Gemini-6 prelaunch countdown. In the background (partially out of view) is astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr., command pilot.
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford (left) and cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov participate in Apollo-Soyuz Test Project joint crew training in Building 35 at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Stafford and Leonov are the commanders of their respective prime crews. They are in the Soviet Soyuz Orbital Module mock-up.
NASA statement: "We are mourning the passing of Thomas P. Stafford at the age of 93 (September 17, 1930—March 18, 2024). In December 1965, Stafford piloted Gemini VI, the first rendezvous in space, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous.
Later he commanded Gemini IX and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that would be used in the Apollo lunar missions, the first optical rendezvous, and a lunar orbit abort rendezvous.
He served as the commander of the Apollo 10 ‘dress rehearsal’ mission preparing for the first Moon landing and as Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, a joint space flight culminating in the historic first meeting in space between American Astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts, which ended the International space race.
Throughout his career, Stafford helped us push the boundaries of what's possible in air and space, flying more than 100 different types of aircraft."
Former NASA Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford - Official NASA Biography:
Expedition 71 Soyuz Rocket Rollout in Kazakhstan | International Space Station
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz 2.1a rocket that will launch the Soyuz MS-25 crew to the International Space Station rolled out from its integration building to the launch pad for final preparations. While that took place, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Soyuz commander Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Belarus cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus completed their training for their launch aboard the Soyuz to the orbital outpost scheduled for March 21, 2024.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
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.
Expedition 71 Soyuz Rocket Rollout in Kazakhstan | International Space Station
The Soyuz rocket was rolled out by train to the launch pad at Site 31, Monday, March 18, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarus cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on March 21, 2024.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
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.
China's First Commercial Spaceport: Ready for Rocket Launches by June 2024
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang City of south China's Hainan Province will be capable of launches by June 2024, said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. Construction of the No. 1 launch pad started in July 2022, and the equipment-installation phase was completed by the end of 2023.
Technical personnel from China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) are currently conducting joint debugging of the hydraulic, measurement and control and electromechanical systems at the No. 1 launch pad. Over 20 technical experts from across the country have also been dispatched to the launch site to ensure the timely progress of the project construction.
"We are working extratime to carry out several major processes, including adjustment, optimization, and debugging. We provide skillful support for on-site debugging and track the entire process from stem to stem to ensure the safety, reliability, and controllability of our shakedown test," said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CALT.
The No. 1 launch pad is a dedicated launch station for the Long March-8 carrier rockets, containing 11 types of equipment and facilities such as fixed service towers and launch pads. To ensure high efficiency, a series of technological innovations have been adopted in the design and product selection of the launch site to meet the demand for continuous launching of rockets within a short period of time.
"For commercial space launches, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are crucial. Therefore, we have made significant innovations in this regard. For example, we have made improvements to the tower structure behind me in terms of the deflector cone. Now, this deflector cone can be restored within seven days, enabling the capability for a second launch," Zhang said.
Currently, the equipment commissioning for No. 1 launch pad is expected to be completed by the end of March, while the installation of equipment for No. 2 launch pad is currently underway.
"Next, we will proceed with matchmaking between launch pads and propellant gas supply system, as well as the integration testing of sub-systems. In the subsequent stage, we will conduct comprehensive testing to the whole system. It is expected that the two launch pads will have basic launch capabilities by the end of June," said Ge Lixin, director of the engineering and equipment department, Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd.
Based on the commercial space launch site, Hainan plans to accelerate the formation of commercial space industry clusters focusing on the rocket industry supply chain, satellite industry supply chain, and the data management chain.
Pan of The Spider Galaxy: UGC 5829 | Hubble Space Telescope
This gauzy-looking celestial body is UGC 5829, an irregular galaxy that lies about 30 million light-years away. Despite there not being many observations of this relatively faint galaxy, it has the distinction of having a descriptive soubriquet: the Spider Galaxy. Perhaps the distorted galactic arms with their glowing, star-forming tips bring to mind the clawed legs of an arachnid. Somewhat confusingly, there is another, very similarly nicknamed but otherwise entirely distinct, galaxy known as the Spiderweb Galaxy. This galaxy has also been more extensively imaged (notably by Hubble), despite the fact that it lies about 300 times further from Earth than the Spider Galaxy does.
Fortunately, correct galaxy identification does not depend on casual given names. Rather, known galaxies are recorded in at least one catalogue—and often in several—such as the Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies, which gives the Spider Galaxy its more formal title of UGC 5829. This same galaxy also has several different designations in various other catalogues: it is, for example, LEDA 31923 in the Lyon-Meudon Extragalactic Database; MCG+06-24-006 in the Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies; and SDSS J104242.78+342657.3 in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Catalogue. The Spiderweb Galaxy is not recorded in all of the same catalogues—each is necessarily limited in scope— but it is included in the LEDA catalogue as LEDA 2826829. It is evidently simpler to not conflate the dull but distinct names LEDA 31923 and LEDA 2826829, than the fun but easily confused Spider and Spiderweb!
Image Description: An irregular galaxy, consisting of a large central body of dull-colored stars with distorted arms around it. The arms are spotted with brightly glowing pink areas where stars are forming, and bluish gas that is brighter than the galactic core. Two large arms flank the left and right of the body, and smaller streams of stars emerge from the top. Other, distant, galaxies can be seen on the edges of the image.
Image Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, R. Tully, M. Messa
