Tuesday, October 31, 2023

China’s Shenzhou-16 Crew Returns to Earth | China Space Station

China’s Shenzhou-16 Crew Returns to Earth | China Space Station

China’s Shenzhou-16 crew of three returned to Earth on October 31, 2023, after spending five months aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The team handed over the ship’s duties to their successors, the Shenzhou-17 crew that arrived a few days before. The Shenzhou-16 mission reportedly conducted dozens of experiments in space medicine, biotechnology, ecology, fluid physics, and materials science.

The Shenzhou-16 crew spacecraft successfully landed at the Dongfeng landing site, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, on Oct. 31, 2023, at 00:11 UTC (08:11 China Standard Time). The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft transported the fifth crew of three astronauts, Jing Haipeng (景海鹏, commander), Zhu Yangzhu (朱杨柱) and Gui Haichao (桂海潮), from a long duration mission aboard the China Space Station.

Shenzhou-16 Crew:

Jing Haipeng (Commander) 

Zhu Yangzhu (Mission Specialist)

Gui Haichao  (Mission Specialist)


Video Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/South China Morning Post (SCMP)

Duration: 1 minute, 55 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 31, 2023


#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Earth #Shenzhou16 #神舟十六 #Spacecraft #Landing #InnerMongolia #Taikonauts #Astronauts #JingHaipeng #ZhuYangzhu #GuiHaichao #MicrogravityExperiments #SpaceResearch #SpaceLaboratory #CSS #Tiangong #ChinaSpaceStation #天和核心舱 #CNSA #CMSA #国家航天局 #Science #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #SCMP #HD #Video

Monday, October 30, 2023

Tour The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Tour The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

This video tours the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant that lies 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. Despite this distance from Earth, the Crab Nebula is a relatively close example of what remains after the explosive death of a massive star.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captures in unprecedented detail the components that comprise the Crab, including the expanding cloud of hot gas, cavernous filaments of dust, and synchrotron emission. The synchrotron emission is the result of the nebula’s pulsar: a rapidly rotating neutron star that is located in the center.

The wind produced by the pulsar shapes the Crab Nebula’s form and pushes fast-moving particles along the magnetic field, forming thin ribbons that flow throughout the nebula’s interior. Toward the nebula’s edges are cavernous filaments of dust and hot gas—now-fractured material that was and continues to be ejected at high speeds. Zooming out reveals the nebula’s unique structure, including areas where the synchrotron emission seems to be pinched.

Webb’s sensitivity, along with the rich data collected by other telescopes, is helping astronomers study this complex and changing scene. This information will lead to an improved understanding of the Crab Nebula’s mysterious origins as well as broaden knowledge about the lives and deaths of stars.


Video Credit: 

Science: Tea Temim

Image Processing: Joseph Depasquale

Video: Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI)

Narration: Courtesy of Bunny Studios

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2023


#NASA #ESA #NASAWebb #JWST #Astronomy #Space #Star #NeutronStar #Nebula #CrabNebula #NGC1952 #Taurus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #UnfoldTheUniverse #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Zoom into The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Zoom into The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

This video takes the viewer on a cosmic journey to the Crab Nebula. The new image of the object revealed at the end from NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope was captured by the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) instruments to reveal new details in infrared light.

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope has gazed at the Crab Nebula in the search for answers about the supernova remnant’s origins. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) have revealed new details in infrared light.

Similar to the Hubble optical wavelength image released in 2005, with Webb the remnant appears to consist of a crisp, cage-like structure of fluffy red-orange filaments of gas that trace doubly ionized sulphur (sulphur III). Within the remnant’s interior, yellow-white and green fluffy ridges form large-scale loop-like structures, which represent areas where dust particles reside.

The area is composed of translucent, milky material. This material is emitting synchrotron radiation. It is emitted across the electromagnetic spectrum but becomes particularly vibrant thanks to Webb’s sensitivity and spatial resolution. It is generated by particles accelerated to extremely high speeds as they wind around magnetic field lines. The synchrotron radiation can be traced throughout the majority of the Crab Nebula’s interior.

Locate the wisps that follow a ripple-like pattern in the middle. In the center of this ring-like structure is a bright white dot: a rapidly rotating neutron star. Further out from the core, follow the thin white ribbons of the radiation. The curvy wisps are closely grouped together, following different directions that mimic the structure of the pulsar’s magnetic field. Note how certain gas filaments are bluer in color. These areas contain singly ionized iron (iron II).

Image Description: An oval nebula with a complex structure against a black background. On the oval's exterior lie curtains of glowing red and orange fluffy material. Interior to this outer shell lie large-scale loops of mottled filaments of yellow-white and green, studded with clumps and knots. Translucent thin ribbons of smoky white lie within the remnant’s interior, brightest toward its center.


Video Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, KPNO/NOIRLab, ESO, Digitized Sky Survey 2, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb), N. Risinger, D. De Martin (ESA/Hubble), M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)  

Duration: 50 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2023


#NASA #ESA #JWST #Astronomy #Space #Star #NeutronStar #Nebula #CrabNebula #NGC1952 #Taurus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #UnfoldTheUniverse #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Pan of The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

Pan of The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope has gazed at the Crab Nebula in the search for answers about the supernova remnant’s origins. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) have revealed new details in infrared light.

Similar to the Hubble optical wavelength image released in 2005, with Webb the remnant appears to consist of a crisp, cage-like structure of fluffy red-orange filaments of gas that trace doubly ionized sulphur (sulphur III). Within the remnant’s interior, yellow-white and green fluffy ridges form large-scale loop-like structures, which represent areas where dust particles reside.

The area is composed of translucent, milky material. This material is emitting synchrotron radiation, which is emitted across the electromagnetic spectrum but becomes particularly vibrant thanks to Webb’s sensitivity and spatial resolution. It is generated by particles accelerated to extremely high speeds as they wind around magnetic field lines. The synchrotron radiation can be traced throughout the majority of the Crab Nebula’s interior.

Locate the wisps that follow a ripple-like pattern in the middle. In the center of this ring-like structure is a bright white dot: a rapidly rotating neutron star. Further out from the core, follow the thin white ribbons of the radiation. The curvy wisps are closely grouped together, following different directions that mimic the structure of the pulsar’s magnetic field. Note how certain gas filaments are bluer in color. These areas contain singly ionized iron (iron II).

Image Description: An oval nebula with a complex structure against a black background. On the oval's exterior lie curtains of glowing red and orange fluffy material. Interior to this outer shell lie large-scale loops of mottled filaments of yellow-white and green, studded with clumps and knots. Translucent thin ribbons of smoky white lie within the remnant’s interior, brightest toward its center.


Credit: NASA, European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University), N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb)  

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Oct 30, 2023


#NASA #ESA #JWST #Astronomy #Space #Star #NeutronStar #Nebula #CrabNebula #NGC1952 #Taurus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #UnfoldTheUniverse #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

The Crab Nebula | James Webb Space Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope has gazed at the Crab Nebula in the search for answers about the supernova remnant’s origins. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) have revealed new details in infrared light.

Similar to the Hubble optical wavelength image released in 2005, with Webb the remnant appears to consist of a crisp, cage-like structure of fluffy red-orange filaments of gas that trace doubly ionized sulphur (sulphur III). Within the remnant’s interior, yellow-white and green fluffy ridges form large-scale loop-like structures, which represent areas where dust particles reside.

The area is composed of translucent, milky material. This material is emitting synchrotron radiation, which is emitted across the electromagnetic spectrum but becomes particularly vibrant thanks to Webb’s sensitivity and spatial resolution. It is generated by particles accelerated to extremely high speeds as they wind around magnetic field lines. The synchrotron radiation can be traced throughout the majority of the Crab Nebula’s interior.

Locate the wisps that follow a ripple-like pattern in the middle. In the center of this ring-like structure is a bright white dot: a rapidly rotating neutron star. Further out from the core, follow the thin white ribbons of the radiation. The curvy wisps are closely grouped together, following different directions that mimic the structure of the pulsar’s magnetic field. Note how certain gas filaments are bluer in color. These areas contain singly ionized iron (iron II).

Image Description: An oval nebula with a complex structure against a black background. On the oval's exterior lie curtains of glowing red and orange fluffy material. Interior to this outer shell lie large-scale loops of mottled filaments of yellow-white and green, studded with clumps and knots. Translucent thin ribbons of smoky white lie within the remnant’s interior, brightest toward its center.


Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University)

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2023


#NASA #ESA #JWST #Astronomy #Space #Star #NeutronStar #Nebula #CrabNebula #NGC1952 #Taurus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #UnfoldTheUniverse #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education

Panning over Arp 107 in Leo Minor: A Galactic Collision in Progress | Hubble

Panning over Arp 107 in Leo Minor: A Galactic Collision in Progress | Hubble


This Hubble image—taken using NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)—shows Arp 107, a celestial object that comprises a pair of galaxies in the midst of a collision. The larger galaxy (in the left of this image) is an extremely energetic galaxy type known as a Seyfert galaxy, which house active galactic nuclei at their cores. Seyfert galaxies are notable because despite the immense brightness of the active core, radiation from the entire galaxy can be observed. This is evident in this image, where the spiraling whorls of the whole galaxy are readily visible. The smaller companion is connected to the larger by a tenuous-seeming ‘bridge’, composed of dust and gas. The colliding galactic duo lie about 465 million light-years from Earth. 

Image Description: A pair of merging galaxies. The galaxy on the left has a large, single spiral arm curving out from the core and around to below it, with very visible glowing dust and gas. The right galaxy has a bright core but only a bit of very faint material. A broad curtain of gas connects the two galaxies’ cores and hangs beneath them. A few small stars and galaxies are scattered around the black background.

Arp 107 is part of a catalogue of 338 galaxies known as the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, which was compiled in 1966 by Halton Arp. It was observed by Hubble as part of an observing program that specifically sought to fill in an observational ‘gap’, by taking limited observations of members of the Arp catalogue. Part of the intention of the observing program was to provide the public with images of these spectacular and not-easily-defined galaxies, and as such, it has provided a rich source for Hubble Pictures of the Week. In fact, several recent releases, including this one and this one, have made use of observations from the same observing program. 


Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, J. Dalcanton

Duration: 30 seconds 

Release Date: Sept.18, 2023


#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #SeyfertGalaxy #Arp107 #GalacticCollission #LeoMinor #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1566: The "Spanish Dancer" in Dorado | Hubble

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1566: The "Spanish Dancer" in Dorado | Hubble

This vibrant and dynamic-looking image features the spiral galaxy NGC 1566. It is sometimes informally referred to as the ‘Spanish Dancer Galaxy’. NGC 1566 is a weakly-barred or intermediate spiral galaxy, meaning that it does not have either a clearly present or a clearly absent bar-shaped structure at its center. The galaxy owes its nickname to the vivid and dramatic swirling lines of its spiral arms, which could evoke the shapes and colors of a dancer’s moving form. NGC 1566 lies around 60 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Dorado, and is also a member of the Dorado galaxy group. 

Galaxy groups are assemblages of gravitationally bound galaxies. Groups differ from galaxy clusters in size and mass: galaxy clusters may contain hundreds of galaxies, whereas groups might contain several tens of galaxies. That said, there is not a precise delineation between the definition of a galaxy group and a galaxy cluster. Astronomers have proposed that the definitions be improved, with one suggestion that galaxy aggregations with less mass than 80 trillion Suns should qualify as galaxy groups.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy. The entire galaxy is displayed, centered and face-on to the viewer. It has two spiral arms that each make only a half-turn from start to finish, resembling the shape of a comma. Lanes of dark dust follow the arms into the center, and split into many fibers that swirl around the glowing galactic core. Bright pink blooms along the arms show areas of new star formation.

The Dorado group has had a fluctuating membership over the past few decades, with scientific papers changing its list of constituent galaxies. This is an example of why it is so challenging for astronomers to pin down members of groups, such as the Dorado group. We can imagine a photograph of an adult human and a large oak tree. We have foreknowledge of the approximate size of the person and the tree, so if we were to see a photo where the person appeared roughly the same size as the tree, then we would be able to guess that, in reality, the person was positioned much closer to the camera than the tree was, giving the false impression that they were the same size. When working out members of a galaxy group, astronomers are not necessarily equipped with the knowledge of the size of the individual galaxies, and so have to work out whether galaxies really are relatively close together in space, or whether some of them are actually much closer or much further away. This has become easier with more sophisticated observation techniques, but still sometimes presents a challenge.


Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, D. Calzetti and the LEGUS team, R. Chandar

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2023


#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxy #NGC1566 #Galaxies #Dorado Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Sunday, October 29, 2023

NASA's New Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: What Views Can We Expect?

NASA's New Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: What Views Can We Expect?

NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will provide one of the deepest-ever views into the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. The mission will monitor hundreds of millions of stars in search of tell-tale flickers that betray the presence of planets, distant stars, small icy objects that haunt the outskirts of our solar system, and isolated black holes. Roman will likely set a new record for the farthest-known exoplanet, offering a glimpse of a different galactic neighborhood that could be home to worlds quite unlike the more than 5,500 that are currently known.

Have you played the Roman Space Observer Video Game yet? (retro 8-bit style): https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/game/

Roman’s long-term sky monitoring will enable these results. It represents a boon to what scientists call time-domain astronomy that studies how the universe changes over time. Roman will join a growing, international fleet of observatories working together to capture these changes as they unfold. Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will focus on the Milky Way, using the telescope’s infrared vision to see through clouds of dust that can block our view of the crowded central region of our galaxy.

When Roman launches, expected by May 2027, the mission will scour the center of the Milky Way for microlensing events that occur when an object, such as a star or planet, comes into near-perfect alignment with an unrelated background star from our viewpoint. Because anything with mass warps the fabric of space-time, light from the distant star bends around the nearer object as it passes close by. The nearer object, therefore acts as a natural magnifying glass, creating a temporary spike in the brightness of the background star’s light. This signal lets astronomers know there is an intervening object, even if they cannot see it directly.

In current plans, the survey will involve taking an image every 15 minutes around the clock for about two months. Astronomers will repeat the process six times over Roman’s five-year primary mission for a combined total of more than a year of observations.

Astronomers expect the survey to reveal more than a thousand planets orbiting far from their host stars and in systems located farther from Earth than any previous mission has detected. This includes those that could lie within their host star’s habitable zone —the range of orbital distances where liquid water can exist on the surface—and worlds that weigh in at as little as a few times the mass of the Moon.

A similar type of shadow play will reveal 100,000 transiting planets between Earth and the center of the galaxy. These worlds cross in front of their host star as they orbit and temporarily dim the light we receive from the star. This method will reveal planets orbiting much closer to their host stars than microlensing reveals, and likely those that lie in the habitable zone.

All of these scientific discoveries will come from Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey. It will account for less than a fourth of the observing time in Roman’s five-year primary mission. Its broad view of space will allow astronomers to conduct many of these studies in ways that have never been possible before, giving us a new view of an ever-changing universe.

Learn more about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope under development: https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov

Learn about Astronomer Nancy Grace Roman (1925-2018): "Mother of Hubble" https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/people/225/nancy-roman-1925-2018/


Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Producer: Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

Science writer: Ashley Balzer (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Writer: Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

Animator: Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

Graphics: Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

Narrator: Barb Mattson (University of Maryland College Park)

Scientist: Scott Gaudi (Ohio State University)

Duration: 4 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 24, 2023


#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #RomanSpaceTelescope #Exoplanets #Planets #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Stars #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #ESA #GSFC #STScI #Women #Leaders #Pioneers #NancyGraceRoman #Astronomer #History #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Ax-3 Mission Crew Media Roundtable | Axiom Space | International Space Station

Ax-3 Mission Crew Media Roundtable | Axiom Space | International Space Station

Axiom Space held a virtual media roundtable with the astronauts of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 

In an historic venture, three countries—Italy, Türkiye, and Sweden through the European Space Agency (ESA)—have united for Ax-3. Axiom Space’s Chief Astronaut Michael López-Alegría (dual citizen of the U.S. and Spain), former NASA astronaut and Axiom Mission 1 commander, will serve as the Ax-3 commander. Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are Alper Gezeravcı of Türkiye and European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden.

As part of Ax-3, Türkiye is sending its first astronaut to space in a larger effort to expand the nation’s space exploration capabilities and establish a national human spaceflight program. Ax-3 will also be the first commercial spaceflight mission for an ESA-sponsored astronaut. For Italy, the Ax-3 mission represents a whole-of-country effort to foster its endeavor for safe, secure, and effective access to space. 

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-3 crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than January 2024. Once docked, the Ax-3 astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days on board implementing a full mission comprised of microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities.

Learn more about Ax-3: https://axiom.space/ax3 

The Ax-3 Crew

Michael López-Alegría - Ax-3 Commander

Michael's Biography: https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/michael-lopez-alegria

Walter Villadei - Ax-3 Pilot

Walter's Biography: https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/walter-villadei

Alper Gezeravcı - Ax-3 Mission Specialist

Alper's Biography: https://www.axiomspace.com/astronauts/alper-gezeravci

Marcus Wandt - Ax-3 Mission Specialist

Marcus' Biography: https://www.axiomspace.com/astronauts/marcus-wandt

Learn more about Axiom: www.axiomspace.com


VIdeo Credit: Axiom Space

Duration: 45 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 27, 2023


#NASA #Space #ISS #Axiom #AxiomSpace #Ax3Mission #Ax3 #Ax3Crew #CommercialAstronauts #MichaelLópezAlegría #WalterVilladei #AlperGezeravcı #MarcusWandt #SpaceX #CrewDragon #Falcon9Rocket #CommercialSpace #Science #SpaceLaboratory #Italy #Italia #Türkiye #Sweden #Swede #Sverige #Spain #España #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Saturday, October 28, 2023

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8: Pre-flight Training in California | International Space Station

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8: Pre-flight Training in California | International Space Station

 

From left, are Mission Specialist Aleksandr Grebenkin from Roscosmos (Russia), and Pilot Michael Barratt, Commander Matthew Dominick, and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, all from NASA
From left, are Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps Mission Specialist (NASA)Commander Matthew Dominick (NASA)Mission Specialist Aleksandr Grebenkin from Roscosmos (Russia), and Pilot Michael Barratt (NASA).

NASA Astronaut and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps
NASA Astronaut and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps
NASA Astronaut and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps

NASA Astronaut and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps on the left, and on the right, NASA Astronaut and Pilot Michael Barratt (NASA)

Astronaut and Commander Matthew Dominick and Astronaut and Pilot Michael Barratt of NASA

Mission Specialist Aleksandr Grebenkin from Roscosmos (Russia)

The four SpaceX Crew-8 crew members Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos (Russia), plus Jeanette Epps, Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick—all NASA astronauts, are pictured during training and inside a Dragon mockup crew vehicle at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

They will join Expedition 70 and 71 crew members aboard the International Space Station in early 2024 to conduct a wide-ranging set of operational and research activities.

This will be Epps’ first trip to the International Space Station. She was selected as an astronaut in July 2009, and has served on the Generic Joint Operation Panel working on space station crew efficiency, as a crew support astronaut for two expeditions, and as lead capsule communicator in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Epps previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA reassigned Epps to allow Boeing time to complete development of Starliner while also continuing plans for astronauts to gain spaceflight experience for future mission needs.

This will also be the first spaceflight for Dominick, who became a NASA astronaut in 2017. 

This will be Barratt’s third trip to the space station. In 2009, Barratt served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 19 and 20 as the station transitioned its standard crew complement from three to six, and performed two spacewalks. He flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 2011 on STS-133, which delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module and fourth Express Logistics Carrier. He has spent a total of 212 days in space. 

Grebenkin, who graduated from Irkutsk High Military Aviation School, Irkutsk, Russia, majoring in engineering, maintenance, and repair of aircraft radio navigation systems, is flying on his first mission, too. He graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics with a degree in radio communications, broadcasting, and television.

NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps Official Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jeanette-j-epps/biography

NASA Astronaut Matthew Dominick Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/matthew-dominick/

NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt Official Biography

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/michael-reed-barratt/biography

This is the eighth rotational mission to the space station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. It works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the orbital outpost on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

Find more information on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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.


Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Image Date: Oct. 15, 2023


#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew8 #Earth #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #MichaelBarratt #JeanetteEpps #Cosmonaut #AleksandrGrebenkin #LongDurationMission #HumanSpaceflight #Hawthorne #California #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #STEM #Education

Cosmonauts Oleg & Nikolai on Spacewalk | International Space Station

Cosmonauts Oleg & Nikolai on Spacewalk | International Space Station

Russian spacewalker Nikolai Chub

Russian spacewalkers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub

Russian spacewalkers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub

Russian spacewalker Oleg Kononenko

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko (suit with red stripes) and Nikolai Chub (suit with blue stripes), from Russia's space agency Roscosmos, are pictured during a spacewalk to inspect a backup radiator, deploy a nanosatellite, and install communications hardware on the International Space Station's Nauka science module.

Oleg and Nikolai concluded their spacewalk Oct. 25, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. EDT after 7 hours and 41 minutes. During the spacewalk, Kononenko and Chub inspected and photographed an external backup radiator on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. They also isolated the radiator from Nauka’s cooling system.

Furthermore, the two cosmonauts released a nanosatellite to test solar sail technology. Additionally, the cosmonauts installed a synthetic radar communications system. This was the sixth spacewalk in Kononenko’s career, and the first for Chub. It is the 268th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

On Nov. 1, 2023, NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli are scheduled to exit the station’s Quest airlock. U.S. Spacewalk 89 will be the first for both Moghbeli and O’Hara. Moghbeli will serve as extravehicular activity crew member 1 and will wear a suit with red stripes. O’Hara will serve as extravehicular crew member 2 and will wear an unmarked suit.

Follow Expedition 70 Updates:

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency (Denmark)
Roscosmos (Russia): Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, Konstantin Borisov
JAXA: Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa (Japan)
NASA: Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral O'Hara (USA)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: Oct. 25, 2023


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Planet #Earth #HumanSpaceflight #EVA #Spacewalk #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Роскосмос #Astronauts #JAXA #Japan #日本 #ESA #Denmark #Europe #UnitedStates  #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition70 #STEM #Education

Friday, October 27, 2023

Remembering The Ring of Fire: 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse | NASA Goddard Recap

Remembering The Ring of Fire: 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse | NASA Goddard Recap

On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse crossed North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere were able to experience this “ring of fire” eclipse. NASA’s official broadcast and outreach teams were located in Kerrville, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to capture the event and celebrate with the communities in the path of annularity.

For more information:

• Interactive Eclipse Map Explorer: https://eclipse-explorer.smce.nasa.gov/


Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Producer: Ryan Fitzgibbons

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 27, 2023


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #ArtemisProgram #Earth #Moon #Umbra #Sun #SolarEclipse #AnnularEclipse #RingOfFire #Eclipse2023 #Canada #Mexico #SouthAmerica #GSFC #UnitedStates #LongDuration #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Planet Mars: A Martian Dust Devil Spins By | NASA's Perseverance Rover | JPL

Planet Mars: A Martian Dust Devil Spins By | NASA's Perseverance Rover | JPL


The dark lines we often see swirling over the surface of sand dunes are the tracks of dust devils on Mars. Here we have a chance to see one in action in this brief animation. 

Dr. Ken Edgett, a staff scientist at Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California, describes a dust devil as follows: "A dust devil is something that happens both on Earth and on Mars and looks somewhat like a mini-tornado. As with tornadoes, dust devils are spinning columns of air. Such a column is called a vortex—you might see the same effect when you let water run down a bathtub drain . . . Unlike tornadoes, dust devils aren't usually associated with storms." 

Celebrating 2+ Years on Mars
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 return to Earth.
Mars Helicopter (Ingenuity)
Launch: July 30, 2020    
Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit: mars.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Perseverance Rover

AI-Processing: PipploIMP

Duration: 5 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 27, 2023


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NASA's Space to Ground: A Stroll in Space | Week of Oct. 27, 2023

NASA's Space to Ground: A Stroll in Space | Week of Oct. 27, 2023

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub concluded their spacewalk Oct. 25, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. EDT after 7 hours and 41 minutes. During the spacewalk, Kononenko and Chub inspected and photographed an external backup radiator on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module, as well as isolated the radiator from Nauka’s cooling system.

The two cosmonauts also released a nanosatellite to test solar sail technology. Furthermore, the cosmonauts installed a synthetic radar communications system. This was the sixth spacewalk in Kononenko’s career, and the first for Chub. It is the 268th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

On Nov. 1, 2023, NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli are scheduled to exit the station’s Quest airlock. U.S. Spacewalk 89 will be the first for both Moghbeli and O’Hara. Moghbeli will serve as extravehicular activity crew member 1 and will wear a suit with red stripes. O’Hara will serve as extravehicular crew member 2 and will wear an unmarked suit.


Follow Expedition 70 Updates:

Expedition 70 Crew
Station Commander: Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency (Denmark)
Roscosmos (Russia): Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, Konstantin Borisov
JAXA: Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa (Japan)
NASA: Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral O'Hara (USA)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
Release Date: Oct. 27, 2023

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Thursday, October 26, 2023

Our World: The Stories Moon Rocks Tell | NASA 360

Our World: The Stories Moon Rocks Tell | NASA 360

More than 50 years ago the Apollo missions brought moon rocks, core samples, pebbles, sand, and dust back to Earth. While scientists have been studying these lunar samples for years, researchers at the Astromaterials Acquisition &  Curation Office are using new instruments and modern technology to study and analyze six preserved core samples. Astromaterials 3D, an interactive virtual library, also gives everyone the chance to virtually manipulate and look inside of 3D rocks samples. 

What can we learn from analyzing and studying moon rocks with cutting edge technology? Moon rocks can unravel the stories and mysteries about the Moon, Earth, and our solar system.


Video Credit: NASAeClips

Duration: 5 minutes, 41 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 25, 2023


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ArtemisProgram #ApolloProgram #ApolloMissions #Moon #MoonRocks #Geology #DeepSpace #SpaceRobotics #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #Astromaterials3D #JSC #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #History #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-17 Crew Enters China's Tiangong Space Station Hours after Launch

Shenzhou-17 Crew Enters China's Tiangong Space Station Hours after Launch

The Shenzhou-17 crew entered the Tianhe Core Module of China's space station on October 26, 2023, at 11:34 UTC (19:34 China Standard Time) They met with another astronaut (taikonaut) trio, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover. 

The Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship was launched into space atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 11:14pm Thursday (Beijing Time) on October 26, 2023, sending the crew of three astronauts—Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin—to the space station for a six-month mission.

The Shenzhou-17 crew spacecraft made a fast, automated rendezvous and docked with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 17:46 (Beijing Time). Hours later, the Shenzhou-16 crew aboard the space station, opened the hatch at 7:34pm (Beijing Time). The three space station occupants greeted the new arrivals and they took group pictures.

Tang, commander of the Shenzhou-17 mission, experienced a historic moment as one of the first batch of Chinese astronauts launched into orbit aboard the Shenzhou-12 mission to China's space station in June 2021. He is the first taikonaut to visit China's space station twice.

Now, the space complex Tang is revisiting has been extended into a versatile space lab with two additional modules and more sophisticated experimental facilities. He also set a new record for the shortest interval between two spaceflight missions by Chinese astronauts. According to the China Manned Space Agency, the six astronauts will live and work together for about four days to complete planned tasks and handover work. The Shenzhou-16 crew is expected to return to Earth on Oct. 31, 2023.

Shenzhou-17 is the sixth crew of three astronauts on a mission to the China Space Station. Shenzhou-17 is also the twelfth crewed and seventeenth flight overall of China's Shenzhou spaceflight program.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (Commander)

Shengjie Tang (Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (Mission Specialist)

Shenzhou-16 Crew:

Jing Haipeng (Commander) 

Zhu Yangzhu (Mission Specialist)

Gui Haichao (Mission Specialist)


Video Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV) Video News Agency

Duration: 2 minutes, 37 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 26, 2023


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