Friends of NASA

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

A Dead Star’s Shroud | Kitt Peak National Observatory

A Dead Star’s Shroud | Kitt Peak National Observatory

This image, which looks a little like an enormous bubble in space, features a planetary nebula known as EGB 6. It was imaged by the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab. Planetary nebulae, notoriously, have nothing to do with planets. They form during the dying millennia of intermediate-mass stars, stars with masses between one and eight times the mass of the Sun. “Dying millennia” might sound like a very long time, but compared to the overall lifespan of a star, planetary nebulae are extremely short-lived. Towards the end of their life cycle, intermediate-mass stars enter the red giant phase, during which fusion reactions temporarily reignite in a dying star’s core. Layers of gas, shed or ejected during the red giant phase, absorb vast amounts of energy and create the gorgeous phenomena known as planetary nebulae. The dying millenia only last about 20,000 years, a mere blink of an eye when you consider that intermediate-mass stars shine steadily for between 30 million to 10 billion years (depending on their mass) before they die.

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab)/National Science Foundation (NSF)/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)

Image processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab) & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)

Release Date: December 19, 2019

#NASA #Gemini #Astronomy #Space #Science #EGB6 #Nebula #Planetary #Stars #Leo #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Observatory #Telescope #Optical #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #KittPeak #KPNO #Tucson #Arizona #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A Martian Sunrise and a NASA Robotic Lander | Mars Insight Mission

A Martian Sunrise and a NASA Robotic Lander | Mars Insight Mission

Mars Insight Lander: "I’ll never tire of sunrise on Mars. ☀️ Each morning, that distant dot climbs higher in the sky, giving me energy for another round of listening to the rumbles beneath my feet."

InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to give the Red Planet its first thorough checkup since it formed 4 billion years ago. It is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core.

InSight's robotic arm is over 5 feet 9 inches (1.8 meters) long. It lifts a seismometer and heat flow probe from the deck and places them on the surface. The camera on the arm will provide color 3D views of the landing site, instrument placement, and activities. Sensors measure weather and magnetic field variations.

Learn more about Mars Insight: http://mars.nasa.gov/insight

JPL manages InSight for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supports spacecraft operations for the mission.

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

InSight - Sol 1198 - IDC

Release Date: April 10, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Mars #Sun #Sunrise #Insight #Robotic #Lander #Science #Engineering #JPL #Caltech #MSFC #LockheedMartin #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

NASA Artemis "You Are Going" Free eBook for Children

NASA Artemis "You Are Going" Free eBook for Children

Available in Italian, German, Spanish, English and French

"Today is the International Day of Human Spaceflight. NASA is marking this occasion with Italian, German, Spanish, and French translations of our free digital 18-page illustrated Artemis children’s book, You Are Going."

Access the translations and other resources here: http://nasa.gov/youaregoing

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/

With Artemis, NASA is going back to the Moon. And we want you to come along!

You Are Going, illustrated by former NASA intern Shane Tolentino, shares a glimpse into future Artemis missions. Learn all about the elements that will help make Artemis possible: the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the Orion spacecraft, the Gateway, and so much more.

In this story, NASA invites you—a member of the Artemis Generation—to feel connected to each Artemis mission and discover all of the exciting possibilities of going to space.

So, what are you waiting for? You Are Going!

English:

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/img/YouAreGoing_web.pdf

French (Français):

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/img/YouAreGoing_01042022_French.pdf

German (Deutsch):

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/img/YouAreGoing_12162021_German.pdf

Italian (Italiano):

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/img/YouAreGoing_01052021_Italian.pdf

Spanish (Español):

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/you-are-going/img/YouAreGoing_01192022_Spanish.pdf

Credit: NASA Artemis

Release Date: April 12, 2022

#NASA #eBook #Books #Children #Students #Artemis #ArtemisGeneration #Space #Astronomy #Science #Technology #Moon #Earth #German #Spanish #Español #French #Français #English #Italian #Italiano #Languages #Learning #Human #Spaceflight #STEM #Education

NASA's Artemis I Moon Rocket in Spotlights | Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Artemis I Moon Rocket in Spotlights | Kennedy Space Center

In this 30-second exposure, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Friday, April 8, 2022, as the Artemis I launch team prepares for wet dress rehearsal testing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASA’s Artemis I flight test, the wet dress rehearsal will run the Artemis I launch team through operations to load propellant, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice timelines and procedures for launch.

Artemis I moon launch (uncrewed) is currently scheduled for spring 2022.

The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate NASA's commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond. It will travel 280,000 miles from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the Moon over the course of about a three-week mission. Orion will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station and return home faster and hotter than ever before.

Learn more about Artemis I at:

NASA's Artemis Program:

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

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

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)

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

NASA's Orion Spacecraft

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

Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Image Date: April 8, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Space #Moon #Moonlight #Artemis #ArtemisI #Orion #Spacecraft #SLS #Boeing #Rocket #DeepSpace #LockheedMartin #Orion #Spacecraft #Astronauts #Mars #JourneyToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #SolarSystem #KSC #Kennedy #Florida #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Earth View: Axiom 1 Mission | International Space Station

Earth View: Axiom 1 Mission | International Space Station

Axiom 1 Mission Commander Michael López-Alegría: "The atmosphere that protects our planet from the harsh elements of space is so incredibly thin, like the skin of an apple. 📸"

Former NASA astronaut, Michael López-Alegría, is vice-president of business development for Axiom Space. López-Alegría has flown four times in space already on space shuttle missions STS-73, STS-92, and STS- 113. He was also the commander of International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 14, coming to and from the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz TMA-9.

Ax-1 crew members Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada are on a10-day space mission. The crew is spending eight days on the International Space Station conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.

Learn more about Ax-1 at Axiom Space: https://www.axiomspace.com

Credit: Michael López-Alegría/Axiom Space

Image Date: April 11, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Atmosphere #Axiom #AxiomSpace #Ax1 #PlvsVltra #FurtherBeyond #Private #Mission #Astronauts #MichaelLópezAlegría #Spain #Espana #LarryConnor #UnitedStates #EytanStibbe #Israel #MarkPathy #Canada #Science #Research #International #STEM #Education

SpaceX Dragon Axiom 1 Spacecraft Approaches International Space Station

SpaceX Dragon Axiom 1 Spacecraft Approaches International Space Station

On April 9, 2022, the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour crew ship carrying four Axiom Mission 1 (AX-1) astronauts approaches the International Space Station after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida the day before.

Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada are aboard.

During their 10-day mission, the crew will spend eight days on the International Space Station conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.

Learn more about Ax-1 at Axiom Space:

https://www.axiomspace.com

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: April 9, 2022

#NASA #Space #Earth #Moon #ISS #Axiom #AxiomSpace #Ax1 #SpaceX #CrewDragon #Spacecraft #Private #Mission #Astronauts #MichaelLópezAlegría #Spain #Espana #LarryConnor #UnitedStates #EytanStibbe #Israel #MarkPathy #Canada #Science #Research #International #STEM #Education

Monday, April 11, 2022

Spiral Snapshot | Hubble

Spiral Snapshot | Hubble

The spiral galaxy M91 fills the frame of this Wide Field Camera 3 observation from the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope. M91 lies approximately 55 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices and—as is evident in this image—is a barred spiral galaxy. While M91’s prominent bar makes for a spectacular galactic portrait, it also hides an astronomical monstrosity. Like our own galaxy, M91 contains a supermassive black hole at its center. A 2009 study using archival Hubble data found that this central black hole weighs somewhere between 9.6 and 38 million times as much as the Sun.

Whilst archival Hubble data allowed astronomers to weigh M91’s central black hole, more recent observations have had other scientific aims. This observation is part of an effort to build a treasure trove of astronomical data exploring the connections between young stars and the clouds of cold gas in which they form. To do this, astronomers used Hubble to obtain ultraviolet and visible observations of galaxies already seen at radio wavelengths by the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).

Observing time with Hubble is a highly valued, and much sought-after, resource for astronomers. To obtain data from the telescope, astronomers first have to write a proposal detailing what they want to observe and highlighting the scientific importance of their observations. These proposals are then anonymised and judged on their scientific merit by a variety of astronomical experts. This process is incredibly competitive: following Hubble’s latest call for proposals, only around 13% of the proposals were awarded observing time.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team

Release Date: April 11, 2022

#NASA #Hubble #ALMA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxy #M91 #NGC4548 #BlackHole #Spiral #Stars #ComaBerenices #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #ESA #Goddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Long March 6A: Understanding China's Latest Medium-Lift Rocket

The Long March 6A: Understanding China's Latest Medium-Lift Rocket

Welcome to another episode of the Dongfang Hour Space Updates! This week we discuss in detail the second new rocket that China has inaugurated in 2022: the Long March 6A. The Long March 6A is a Chinese launch vehicle of the Long March family. It was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The vehicle is a further development of the Long March 6, with 2 YF-100 engines on the first stage as opposed to 1 on the Long March 6, augmented by 4 solid rocket boosters.

The Long March 6A is China's first rocket with solid rocket boosters. The maiden launch of the Long March 6A took place March 29, 2022, successfully reaching orbit. It was also the first launch from the newly built launch complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China's Shanxi province.

Video Credit: Dongfang Hour

Host: Jean Deville

Dongfang Hour Website & Newsletter: https://www.dongfanghour.com

Visual Credits: CCTV, CGTN, NASA, Arianespace, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC), Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST)

Release Date: April 11, 2022

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Rockets #LongMarch #LongMarch6A #长征六号甲运载火箭 #LM6A #ChangZheng6A #Satellites #Taikonauts #Tiangong #天宫 #SpaceStation #CNSA #CMSA #国家航天局 #Science #Technology #Engineering #STEM #Education #International #DongfangHour #HD #Video

NASA’s Self-Driving Perseverance Mars Rover is Breaking Records | JPL

NASA’s Self-Driving Perseverance Mars Rover is Breaking Records | JPL

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is using its self-driving capabilities as it treks across Jezero Crater seeking signs of ancient life and gathering rock and soil samples for planned return to Earth.

With the help of special 3D glasses, rover drivers on Earth plan routes with specific stops, but

increasingly allow the rover to "take the wheel" and choose how it gets to those stops. Perseverance's auto-navigation system, known as AutoNav, makes 3D maps of the terrain ahead, identifies hazards, and plans a route around any obstacles without additional direction from controllers back on Earth.

Now the rover can drive through these more complex terrains, which helps Perseverance achieve its science goals and break driving records. The rover is traversing from an area near its landing site, "Octavia E. Butler Landing," to an area where an ancient river flowed into a body of water and deposited sediments (known as a delta).

To track Perseverance's drive, visit: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/where-is-the-rover/

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

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

Launch: July 30, 2020

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

For more information on Perseverance, visit: https://mars.nasa.gov/perseverance

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech//ASU/MSSS

Duration: 2 minutes, 40 seconds

Release Date: April 8, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #Jezero #Crater #Perseverance #Curiosity #Rovers #Rover #SelfDriving #Autonomous #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Chinese Astronauts in Space Answer Questions from American Children

Chinese Astronauts in Space Answer Questions from American Children

Chinese astronauts on the Tiangong Space Station orbiting Earth interacted with U.S. schoolchildren by answering questions during the "My question to Taikonauts" event held by the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. in the United States on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

Wang Yaping, China's second female astronaut is presently aboard China's Tiangong space station on a six-month mission, along with her crewmates, Nie Haisheng and Ye Guangfu.

Wang Yaping is China's second female astronaut or taikonaut. On November 7, 2021, Wang Yaping became China's first female spacewalker. Wang became China's second female spacefarer as a member of the Shenzhou 10 spaceship crew when it orbited the Earth in June 2013.

Tiangong is a space station being constructed by China in low Earth orbit between 340 and 450 km (210 and 280 mi) above the surface. Being China's first long-term space station, it is the goal of the "Third Step" of the China Manned Space Program. It is hoped that the research conducted on the station will improve researchers' ability to conduct science experiments in space.

Former NASA Astronaut Donald A. Thomas also gave a presentation to students at the Chinese Embassy. Don Thomas is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle flights: STS-65, STS-70, STS-83, STS-94

Donald A. Thomas NASA Bio

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/thomas_donald.pdf

Credit: China Central Television (CCTV) News Agency

Duration: 3 minutes, 28 seconds

Release Date: April 10, 2022

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #NieHaisheng #YeGuangfu #Women #WangYaping #王亚平 #Tiangong #天宫 #SpaceStation #Shenzhou13 #UNOOSA #UnitedNations #CNSA #CMSA #国家航天局 #Science #Technology #Students #DonaldAThomas #American #Embassy #Washington #DC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #International #CCTV #HD #Video