Grand Terre, New Caledonia | International Space Station

Grande Terre is the largest and principal island of New Caledonia. British explorer James Cook sighted Grande Terre in 1774 and named it "New Caledonia", Caledonia being a Latin name for parts of northern Scotland. Eventually, the name "New Caledonia" became applied to Grande Terre and its surrounding islands. (Source: Wikipedia)

New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 1,210 km (750 mi) east of Australia and 16,136 km (10,026 mi) east of Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Chesterfield Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of Pines, and a few remote islets. The Chesterfield Islands are in the Coral Sea. Locals refer to Grande Terre as "Le Caillou" ("the stone"). (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: ESA/NASA/JSC, ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli of Italy
Image Date: August 12, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #GrandTerre #NewCaledonia #Pacific #Ocean #France #EarthObservation #Astronaut #PaoloNespoli #ASI #ESA #Europe #Italy #Italia #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education

Bermuda | International Space Station

Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy:
"Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean."
"Бермудские О-ва, расположенные в с-з части Атлантического океана"

Bermuda is located off the east coast of North America. Its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, United States, about 1,030 kilometers (640 mi) to the west-northwest. It is about 1,239 kilometers (770 mi) south of Cape Sable Island, Canada, and 1,538 kilometers (956 mi) north of Puerto Rico. Its capital city is Hamilton. (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: Roscosmos, Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy (Сергей Рязанский‏)
Release Date: August 26, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Bermuda #Islands #Archipelago #Caribbean #Atlantic #Ocean #British #Overseas #Territory #Cosmonaut #FlightEngineer #SergeyRyazanskiy #космонавт #Роскосмос #Roscosmos #Russia #Россия #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #STEM #Education

Sunrise | International Space Station

Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy: "Good morning! We meet 16 sunrises a day and this is one of today's."
"И снова доброе утро! Один из 16 рассветов, которые мы встречаем за сутки"

Credit: Roscosmos, Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy (Сергей Рязанский‏)
Release Date: August 26, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Sunrise #Sun #Cosmonaut #FlightEngineer #SergeyRyazanskiy #космонавт #Роскосмос #Roscosmos #Russia #Россия #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #STEM #Education

2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Bailey's Beads | NASA

The Bailey's Beads effect is seen as the moon makes its final move over the sun during the total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe.

Watch the 2017 North America Solar Eclipse Live on NASA TV | http://nasa.gov/eclipselive

NASA eclipse info: http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Location: Madras, Oregon, United States
Release Date: August 21, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #Totality #BaileysBeads #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #Madras #Oregon #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education

2017 Total Solar Eclipse: View from Madras, Oregon, USA | Totality Achieved

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe.

NASA eclipse info: http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Location: Madras, Oregon, United States
Release Date: August 21, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #Totality #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #Madras #Oregon #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education

2017 Total Solar Eclipse: View from Washington State, USA

The Moon is seen as it starts passing in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse from Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe.

NASA eclipse info: eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Northern Cascades National Park
nps.gov/noca/index.htm

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Location: Washington (state), United States
Release Date: August 21, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #RossLake #NorthernCascades #NationalPark #Washington #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education

2017 Total Solar Eclipse: View from Washington State, USA

The Moon is seen as it starts passing in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse from Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe.

NASA eclipse info: eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Northern Cascades National Park
nps.gov/noca/index.htm

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Location: Washington (state), United States
Release Date: August 21, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #RossLake #NorthernCascades #NationalPark #Washington #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education

2017 Total Solar Eclipse Image Collection | NASA

This composite image of eleven pictures shows the progression of a total solar eclipse at Madras High School in Madras, Oregon on Monday, August 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe.

Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Release Date: August 21, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #International #Madras #Oregon #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #Photography #Timelapse #STEM #Education

NASA Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Poster

More Information from NASA on the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse:
eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Release Date: August 7, 2017

#NASA #Earth #Science #Astronomy #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #Safety #SolarEclipse2017 #Eclipse2017 #Totality #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #SDO #STEM #Education #Poster

Starstruck | International Space Station

U.S. Astronaut Jack Fischer: "The star of the show for tomorrow’s #Eclipse2017. We are watching the rehearsal up here and I think it will be a good show."

For more NASA information on the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, visit: http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA/JSC
Release Date: August 20, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Astronomy #Space #SolarEclipse #Sun #Solar #Moon #Eclipse #Planet #EarthObservation #Canadarm2 #Canada #CSA #Robotics #Photography #Astronaut #JackFischer #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education

NASA Takes Next Step in Green Aviation X-planes Plans

Happy National Aviation Day!

Image: Lockheed Martin artist concept of a blended wing body aircraft with a tail flying in the air. | NASA is working to create new experimental aircraft that will demonstrate new “green aviation” technology intended to dramatically reduce fuel use, emissions and noise—with the goal of cutting emissions from the nation’s commercial aircraft fleet by more than 50 percent, while also reducing perceived noise levels near airports to one-half the level of the quietest aircraft flying today.

To that end, NASA awarded six-month contracts to four companies, who will each define the technical approach, schedule, and cost for one or more large-scale, subsonic X-plane concepts. These concepts are in support of NASA’s ultra-efficient subsonic transport research goals.

The companies were Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation of Manassas, VA; Dzyne Technologies Incorporated of Fairfax, VA; Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company of Ft. Worth, TX; and The Boeing Company of Hazelwood, MO.

“Engaging these contractors now to gather this information will help us move forward efficiently and expeditiously when we’re ready to commit to building the X-planes themselves,” said Ed Waggoner, NASA’s Integrated Aviation Systems Program director.

Each company detailed their specific X-plane system requirements for a piloted experimental aircraft capable of sustained, two to three hours of powered high subsonic flight, and plans for conducting at least two research flight sorties per week over the course of a year-long program.

The requested information is to be built around a plan that would see the selected experimental aircraft eventually flying no later than 2021.

NASA’s return to flying large-scale X-plane technology demonstrators—a staple of its aeronautical research heritage—is part of New Aviation Horizons, an ambitious 10-year accelerated research plan developed and announced by NASA earlier this year.

The five X-plane concepts envisioned for possible further development and the contractor responsible for providing NASA with the required information include:

Aurora Flight Sciences for the D8 “Double Bubble,” a twin-aisle, largely composite airliner in which the fuselage is shaped to provide lift—enabling smaller wings—and the jet engines are mounted atop the rear tail area, which takes advantage of the air flow over the aircraft to both improve engine efficiency and reduce noise in the cabin and on the ground below.

Dzyne Technologies for a smaller regional jet-sized aircraft that features a blended wing body (BWB) design in which the lines of a traditional tube and wing airliner are shaped to become one continuous line in which the seam between the wing and fuselage is nearly indistinguishable. As an aerodynamic shape, this configuration increases lift and reduces drag.

Lockheed Martin for its Hybrid Wing Body, which includes features of the BWB on the forward part of the fuselage but has a more conventional looking T-shaped tail, with its jet engines mounted on the side of the hull but above the blended wing. Increased lift, reduced drag and quieter operations are all potential benefits.

Boeing for both its BWB concept—versions of which the company has flight tested with its subscale X-48 program in partnership with NASA—and a Truss-Braced Wing concept, which features a very long, aerodynamically efficient wing that is held up on each side by a set of trusses connecting the fuselage to the wing. Otherwise the aircraft appears more conventional than the other X-plane concepts under consideration.

Preliminary design work already has begun on a half-scale X-plane called the Quiet Supersonic Technology, or QueSST, a piloted supersonic aircraft that generates a soft thump, rather than the disruptive boom currently associated with supersonic flight.

Work also is underway on the X-57 Maxwell, a general aviation-sized electric research airplane. Maxwell will fly for the first time in early 2018 and demonstrate battery powered, distributed electric propulsion. Transport-sized electric aircraft could reduce energy use by more than 60 percent and harmful emissions by more than 90 percent. This was the first project to get an X-plane number designation in a decade.

NASA’s other green aviation initiatives include reducing airline emissions and flight delays. Working in partnership with airlines and air traffic controllers at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, NASA is beginning the first-of-a-kind demonstration of new technologies that coordinate operational schedules for aircraft arrivals, departures, and taxiing.

Credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
Release Date: October 6, 2016

#NASA #Aviation #Aerospace #NationalAviationDay #FlyNASA #LockheedMartin #Aircraft #Concept #BlendedWingBody #BWB #HybridWingBody #Technology #Engineering #Photography #Science #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Illustration #Visualization

Sicily by night | International Space Station

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana (in Italian, Sicilian Region). Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high. (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: NASA/JSC, ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli of Italy
Image Date: August 15, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Sicily #Mediterranean #Sea #EarthObservation #Astronaut #PaoloNespoli #ASI #ESA #Europe #Night #Italy #Italia #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education

Italy by night | International Space Station

Credit: NASA/JSC, ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli of Italy
Image Date: August 15, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #EarthObservation #Astronaut #PaoloNespoli #ASI #ESA #Europe #Night #Italy #Italia #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #UnitedStates #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education

Yucatan Peninsula | NASA Earth

The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel. The peninsula lies east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a northwestern geographic partition separating the region of Central America from the rest of North America. (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: NASA
Release Date: December 27, 2005

#NASA #Earth #Science #Space #Satellite #Yucatán #Peninsula #Mexico #Caribbean #Sea #CentralAmerica #Goddard #GSFC #STEM #Education

Cozumel | International Space Station

U.S. Astronaut Randy Bresnik: "[the Yucatan Peninsula]…has lovely Cozumel hovering just offshore"

Cozumel is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen, and close to the Yucatán Channel. (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: NASA/JSC
Release Date: August 19, 2017

#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Planet #Yucatan #Peninsula #Cozumel #Island #Mexico #Caribbean #Sea #EarthObservation #Astronaut #RandyBresnik #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula | International Space Station

U.S. Astronaut Randy Bresnik: "Eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula looks very inviting…"

The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel. The peninsula lies east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a northwestern geographic partition separating the region of Central America from the rest of North America. (Source: Wikipedia)

Credit: NASA/JSC
Release Date: August 19, 2017
#NASA #ISS #Earth #Science #Planet #Yucatan #Peninsula #Mexico #Caribbean #Sea #EarthObservation #Astronaut #RandyBresnik #Human #Spaceflight #Expedition52 #JSC #OverviewEffect #OrbitalPerspective #STEM #Education