Friends of NASA

Sunday, March 03, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Leaves Kennedy Space Center for the Launch Pad

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Leaves Kennedy Space Center for the Launch Pad

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 crewmates Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia walk down the hallway of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to head to Space Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for liftoff to the International Space Station at 10:53 p.m. EST Sunday, March 3, 2024.

Learn more about the SpaceX Crew-8 Mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/

Video Credit: NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Duration: 34 seconds

Release Date: March 3, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #SpaceXCrew8 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Earth #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #MichaelBarratt #JeanetteEpps #Cosmonaut #AleksandrGrebenkin #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Waves Goodbye Before Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Waves Goodbye Before Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 crewmates Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia take their first steps outside from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to head to Space Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for liftoff to the International Space Station at 10:53 p.m. EST Sunday, March 3, 2024.

Learn more about the SpaceX Crew-8 Mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/

Video Credit: NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Duration: 52 seconds

Release Date: March 3, 2024

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 at Kennedy Space Center: Before Launch Day

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 at Kennedy Space Center: Before Launch Day

From left to right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, and NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-8 mission launch, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-8 mission launch, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, and NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, and Matthew Dominick, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-8 mission launch, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from right to left are NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia smile and pose for a photo in the suit-up room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building before launch on Saturday, March 2, 2024

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, and NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, and Michael Barratt, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-8 mission launch, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members and NASA astronauts from left to right, Matthew Dominick and Michael Barratt check their SpaceX spacesuit in the crew suit-up room inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from right to left NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia check their SpaceX spacesuit in the crew suit-up room inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, March 2, 2024

The members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission posed for photos at Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida as part of a pre-launch dress rehearsal on February 26, 2024, and during their first launch attempt on March 2, 2024. Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, plus Pilot Michael Barratt, Commander Matthew Dominick, and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps—all from NASA will launch no earlier than 10:53pm ET (0353 UTC), Sunday, March 3, 2024, on their SpaceX Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft via a Falcon 9 rocket. The weather is 85% favorable at this time.

Learn more about the SpaceX Crew-8 Mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/

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/people/matthew-dominick

NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt Official Biography

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

Alexander Grebenkin graduated from Irkutsk High Military Aviation School, Irkutsk, Russia, majoring in engineering, maintenance, and repair of aircraft radio navigation systems. He graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics with a degree in radio communications, broadcasting, and television.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program 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.

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 Credits: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Image Dates: Feb. 26 - March 2, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #SpaceXCrew8 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Earth #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #MichaelBarratt #JeanetteEpps #Cosmonaut #AleksandrGrebenkin #LongDurationMission #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #STEM #Education

Data Sonification: "Bones" of a Ghostly Cosmic Hand | NASA Chandra & IXPE

Data Sonification: "Bones" of a Ghostly Cosmic Hand | NASA Chandra & IXPE

MSH 15-52 is a cloud of energized particles blown away from a dead, collapsed star. This image includes X-rays from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, or IXPE, (purple) as well as Chandra (orange, green, and blue). These data have been combined with infrared data from the Dark Energy Plane Survey 2 (red and blue). In sound, the scan goes from the bottom to the top. The brightness of the Chandra data of the cloud have been converted into rough string-like sounds, while the blast wave is represented by a range of pitches of firework-type noises. The IXPE data are heard as wind-like sounds. The infrared data are mapped to musical pitches of a synthesizer sound. The light curve, or brightness over time, from the dead star’s collapsed core is heard in pulses that occur almost 7 times every second as it does in the original data.

A small, dense object only twelve miles in diameter is responsible for this beautiful X-ray nebula that spans 150 light years. The story begins around 1,500 years ago when a giant star ran out of nuclear fuel to burn. This led to the star collapsing onto itself and forming an incredibly dense object called a neutron star.

Rotating neutron stars with strong magnetic fields are called pulsars. With today’s telescopes, astronomers use them as laboratories for extreme physics, offering high-energy conditions that cannot be replicated on Earth.

Astronomers think that the B1509 pulsar here is about 1,700 years old as measured in Earth's time-frame (referring to when events are observable at Earth) and is located about 17,000 light years away. B1509 is spinning completely around almost 7 times every second and is releasing energy into its environment at a prodigious rate—presumably because it has an intense magnetic field at its surface, estimated to be 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. B1509's nebula is 15 times wider than the Crab Nebula.

Video Credit: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Sonification: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

Duration: 32 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Pulsar #Star #NeutronStar #PSRB150958 #B1509 #Nebula #MSH1552 #RCW89 #GasCloud #Circinus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #NASAChandra #ChandraObservatory #IXPE #XrayTelescopes #MSFC #SpaceTelescopes #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Sonification #HD #Video

Phantom Galaxy Data Sonification | NASA Chandra, Hubble & Webb

Phantom Galaxy Data Sonification | NASA Chandra, Hubble & Webb

Messier 74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy like our Milky Way. It is seen face-on from Earth’s vantage point and is around 32 million light-years away. X-rays from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple) have been combined with an infrared view of M74 from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (green, yellow, red, and magenta) as well as optical data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (orange, cyan, and blue).

In sonifying these data, a clockwise-moving radar-like scan starts around 12 o’clock. The distance from the center controls the frequencies of sound with light farther from the center being higher pitched. The Chandra sources correspond to relatively high musical pitches of glassy ethereal and clear plucked sounds. In the Webb data, large, medium, and small features are represented by low, medium, and high frequency ranges of pitches respectively with the brightest stars being heard as percussive sounds. The Hubble data have been turned into breathy synthesizer sounds along with thin metallic plucked sounds for bright stars and clusters.

Scientists combine data from telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum to truly understand astronomical objects. In this way, data from Chandra, Hubble, and Webb compliment each other to provide a comprehensive view of the spectacular M74 galaxy.

Video Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team; ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Chandar, N. Bartmann

Sonification: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Chandra #Hubble #JWST #Optical #Xray #Infrared #Galaxy #M74 #PhantomNebula #Spiral #Pisces #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #Sonification #HD #Video

Panning across Spiral Galaxy UGC 11105 in Hercules | Hubble Space Telescope

Panning across Spiral Galaxy UGC 11105 in Hercules | Hubble Space Telescope

This softly luminous galaxy—lying in the constellation Hercules, about 110 million light-years from Earth—seems outshone by the sparkling foreground stars that surround it. The type II supernova which took place in this galaxy in 2019, while no longer visible in this image, definitely outshone the galaxy at the time! To be more precise, UGC 11105 has an apparent magnitude of around 13.6 in the optical light regime. (This image was created using data that covers the heart of the optical regime, in addition to ultraviolet data.) Astronomers have different ways of quantifying how bright celestial objects are, and apparent magnitude is one of them.

Firstly, the ‘apparent’ part of this quantity refers to the fact that apparent magnitude only describes how bright objects appear to be from Earth, which is not the same thing as measuring how bright they actually are. For example, in reality the variable star Betelgeuse is about 21,000 times brighter than our Sun, but because the Sun is much, much closer to Earth, Betelgeuse appears to be vastly less bright than it. The ‘magnitude’ part is a little harder to describe, because the magnitude scale does not have a unit associated with it, unlike, for example, mass, which we measure in kilograms, or length, which we measure in meters. Magnitude values only have meaning relative to other magnitude values. Furthermore, the scale is not linear, but is a type of mathematical scale known as ‘reverse logarithmic’, which also means that lower-magnitude objects are brighter than higher-magnitude objects.

As an example, UGC 11105 has an apparent magnitude of around 13.6 in the optical, whereas the Sun has an apparent magnitude of about -26.8. Accounting for the reverse logarithmic scale, this means that the Sun appears to be about 14 thousand trillion times brighter than UGC 11105 from our perspective here on Earth, even though UGC 11105 is an entire galaxy! The faintest stars that humans can see with the naked eye come in at about sixth magnitude, with most galaxies being much dimmer than this. Hubble, however, has been known to detect objects with apparent magnitudes up to the extraordinary value of 31, so UGC 11105 does not really present much of a challenge.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, with two prominent arms that are tightly wound around the brighter core. The arms disperse into a wide halo of stars and dust at their ends, giving the galaxy an oval shape. It is flanked by a number of bright stars in the foreground, each with a little cross over it due to light diffraction, and distant background galaxies as well.

Video Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. J. Foley (UC Santa Cruz), N. Bartmann

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Jan. 29, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #UGC11105 #SpiralGalaxy #Hercules #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Panning over Star-forming Region IRAS 16562-3959 in Scorpius | Hubble

Panning over Star-forming Region IRAS 16562-3959 in Scorpius | Hubble

This image is a relatively close-by star-forming region known as IRAS 16562-3959 that lies within the Milky Way in the constellation Scorpius, about 5,900 light-years from Earth. The image was compiled using observations from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC 3). The detailed nuances of color are possible because of the four separate filters that were used to collect the data. Filters are thin slivers of highly specialized material that only allow very specific wavelengths of light through. They can be slid in front of the part of the telescope that is sensitive to light, letting astronomers control which wavelengths of light the telescope collects with each observation. This is useful not only for specific scientific research, but also for the creation of images like this one.

Raw telescope observations are always monochrome, regardless of the filter used. However, specially trained artists and image specialists can select colors that match the wavelength range covered by individual filters. Or, in the case where a direct match is not possible—such as for the data used in this image (all in the infrared regime) that human eyes are not sensitive to—the artist can select a color that sensibly represents what is taking place. For example, they might assign bluer colors to shorter wavelengths and redder colors to longer wavelengths, as is the case in the visible light range. Then, data from multiple filters can be combined to build up a multi-color image that looks beautiful and has scientific meaning.

At the center of the image, IRAS 16562-3959 is thought to host a massive star—about 30 times the mass of our Sun—that is still in the process of forming. At the near-infrared wavelengths to which Hubble is sensitive, the central region appears dark because there is so much obscuring dust in the way. However, near-infrared light leaks out mainly on two sides—upper left and lower right—where a powerful jet from the massive protostar has cleared away the dust. Multi-wavelength images, including this incredible Hubble scene, will help us gain a better understanding of how the most massive, brightest stars in our galaxy are born.

Image Description: A nebula with stars. The center of the image from top-left to bottom-right glows brightly with light from where new stars are being formed, and is partially covered by dark dust. Colored layers of gas and dust billow out across the rest of the image. The nebula is speckled with foreground stars with large diffraction spikes.

Video Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Fedriani, J. Tan, N. Bartmann

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 27, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Nebulae #Nebula #IRAS165623959 #StellarNursery #Scorpius #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Lina Borozdina: First Ukrainian Woman's Journey to Space | Virgin Galactic

Lina Borozdina: First Ukrainian Woman's Journey to Space | Virgin Galactic

Congratulations to The First Ukrainian Woman to Fly to Space!

"Meet Lina Borozdina: a scientist, chemist, and breast cancer survivor who now adds astronaut to her list of achievements. Embarking on a journey that transcends the bounds of Earth, watch as Lina ventures into the cosmos. Her story is not just about reaching for the stars but breaking barriers, inspiring generations, and proving that the sky is not the limit."

Lina Borozdina, a native of Odessa, became the first Ukrainian to make a tourist flight beyond the Earth on Galactic 06.

Galactic 06, Virgin Galactic’s sixth commercial spaceflight, was launched from Spaceport America, New Mexico, on January 26, 2024, at 10am MT. VSS Unity, the second SpaceShipTwo, transported four passengers: Lina Borozdina, Robie Vaughn, Franz Haider, Neil Kornswiet. The flight reached an apogee of 55.1 miles (~88 km). “Galactic 06’ flight marked the first time all four seats aboard VSS Unity were occupied by private astronauts”.

VSS Unity was commanded by C.J. Sturckow with pilot Nicola Pecile. Michael Masucci commanded mothership VMS Eve joined by pilot Dan Alix.

· Astronaut 023 – Lina Borozdina, Ukraine and Nevada, U.S.

· Astronaut 024 – Robie Vaughn, Texas, U.S.

· Astronaut 025 – Franz Haider, Austria

· Astronaut 026 – Neil Kornswiet, California, U.S.

‘Galactic 06’ Flight Facts

· Take-off Time 10:00 am MT

· Altitude at Release 44,493 ft

· Apogee 55.1 miles

· Top Speed Mach 2.98

· Landing Time 10:56 am MT

Learn more at: https://www.virgingalactic.com

Video Credit: Virgin Galactic

Duration: 2 minutes, 22 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #CommercialSpaceflight #VirginGalactic #SpaceShipTwoVehicle #Galactic06 #VSSUnity #SuborbitalFlight #Astronaut #LinaBorozdina #Ukraine #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceportAmerica #SpaceTourism #NewMexico #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

Saturday, March 02, 2024

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Prepares for Launch at Kennedy Space Center

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Prepares for Launch at Kennedy Space Center

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from right to left, NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, mission specialist; Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, mission specialist; are photographed in their spacesuits at Launch Complex 39A in front of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from right to left, NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, mission specialist; Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, mission specialist, wave as they participate in a countdown dress rehearsal

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen at sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, as preparations continue for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida

From right to left to right, NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, Jeanette Epps, pose inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center

NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps signs her name inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick signs his name inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters

The members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission posed for photos at Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida on February 25, 2024 as part of a pre-launch dress rehearsal. Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, plus Pilot Michael Barratt, Commander Matthew Dominick, and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps—all from NASA will launch no earlier than11:16 p.m. EST Saturday, March 2, 2024 on their SpaceX Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft via a Falcon 9 rocket.

The weather is only 40% favorable at this time.

Learn more about the SpaceX Crew-8 Mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/

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/people/matthew-dominick

NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt Official Biography

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

Image Credit: SpaceX

Image Dates: Feb. 25-28, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #SpaceXCrew8 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Earth #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #MichaelBarratt #JeanetteEpps #Cosmonaut #AleksandrGrebenkin #LongDurationMission #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-17 Crew Completes Second Spacewalk | China Space Station

Shenzhou-17 Crew Completes Second Spacewalk | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-17 crew members aboard China's space station completed their second extravehicular mission at 13:32 Beijing time on Saturday, March 2, 2024, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Their first extravehicular mission was on Dec. 21, 2023. This mission, lasting about eight hours, was conducted by the trio, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, with the assistance of a ground team and the China Space Station's robotic arm. The primary objective of this mission was to carry out maintenance on the solar wing of the Tianhe core module, eliminating impacts from collision by micro particles in space.

Following evaluation and analysis, it was determined that the power generation of repaired solar wing was back to normal. This marks the first time that Chinese astronauts have conducted extravehicular maintenance activities on external spacecraft facilities.

Wu Dawei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space program astronaut system commended the astronauts' impeccable performance during the mission.

"The astronauts' performance were flawless. Although it was Jiang Xinlin's first time engaging in extravehicular activities on the robotic arm, he showed composure and remained calm. The coordination between him and fellow astronauts, and with the ground team, was perfect. The mission was completed perfectly following our designed procedures and plans in the whole process," Wu said.

The Shenzhou-17 crew, who arrived at the space station on Oct 26, 2023 for a six-month mission, will continue to carry out a range of space science experiments and technological tests as planned.

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)

Video Credit: China Manned Space Agency (CMSA)/CCTV

Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds

Release Date: March 2, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou17 #神舟十七号 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #Spacewalk #EVA #SolarPanels #HongboTang #ShengjieTang #XinlinJiang #SpaceLaboratory #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #TiangongSpaceStation #中国空间站 #CMSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Preparing for Launch at Kennedy Space Center

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Preparing for Launch at Kennedy Space Center

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from left to right, NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, mission specialist; Michael Barratt, pilot; Matthew Dominick, commander; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, mission specialist; are photographed inside the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a dress rehearsal on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in preparation for the Crew-8 mission.

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 from left to right, NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia are photographed in their SpaceX spacesuits

NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps is photographed inside the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A

A SpaceX launch and entry suit bears an American flag and the name of NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps, who will serve as one of two mission specialists for NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission

NASA astronaut Michael Barratt is photographed inside the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A

A SpaceX launch and entry suit bears an American flag and the name of NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, who will serve as pilot of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is photographed inside the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A

A SpaceX launch and entry suit bears an American flag and the name of NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, who will serve as the commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission

The weather is only 40% favorable at this time.

Learn more about the SpaceX Crew-8 Mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/

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/people/matthew-dominick

NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt Official Biography

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

Image Credits: SpaceX

Release Date: Feb. 25, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #SpaceXCrew8 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Earth #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #MichaelBarratt #JeanetteEpps #Cosmonaut #AleksandrGrebenkin #LongDurationMission #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #STEM #Education

A Historic Robotic Mission to the Moon’s South Pole | This Week @NASA

A Historic Robotic Mission to the Moon’s South Pole | This Week @NASA

A historic delivery of scientific payloads to the Moon’s South Pole, a record-breaking scientific balloon flight, and an asteroid mission’s close pass of the Sun . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Video Producer & Editor: Andre Valentine

Narrator: Emanuel Cooper

Duration: 2 minutes, 41 seconds

Release Date: March 2, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Moon #SouthPole #ArtemisProgram #IntuitiveMachines #IM1Mission #IM1Spacecraft #NovaCLander #OdysseusLander #CommercialSpace #CLPS #OSIRISRExMission #AirborneScience #SpaceTechnology #MSFC #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Friday, March 01, 2024

What's Up for March 2024: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

What's Up for March 2024: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

Here are examples of skywatching highlights for March 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere:

Jupiter plows through the Pleiades on March 14, a chance to spot Mercury at month's end along with a subtle lunar eclipse, and a comet worth keeping an eye on!

0:00 Intro

0:12 Moon & planet highlights

0:51 Penumbral lunar eclipse

1:47 Comet 12p/Pons-Brooks

1:23 March Moon phases

Find astronomy events & clubs:

NASA's Night Sky Network

https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/night-sky-network/

Skywatching resources from NASA: https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching

Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Duration: 3 minutes, 46 seconds

Release Date: March 1, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Skywatching #Earth #Moon #LunarEclipse #Planets #Jupiter #Comets #Comet12pPonsBrooks #SolarSystem #Stars #Pleiades #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #JPL #Caltech #Skywatching #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis V Moon Rocket Engine Test#8: Feb. 29, 2024 | Stennis Space Center

NASA Artemis V Moon Rocket Engine Test#8: Feb. 29, 2024 | Stennis Space Center

An Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 rocket engine (RS-25 developmental engine E0525) was tested for 615 seconds on the Fred Haise Test Stand (formerly A-1 Test Stand) at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, on February 29, 2024, at 1:40pm CST). This was the second test using a new production engine nozzle providing additional performance data on the upgraded unit and the eight hot fire test out of the 12 planned in the final round of certification testing ahead of production of an updated set of engines for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) that will be used beginning with Artemis V. The test had a planned duration of 615 seconds, with the RS-25 engine running up to 111% power level.

As NASA aims to establish a long-term presence on the Moon for scientific discovery and exploration, and prepare for future missions to Mars, new engines will incorporate dozens of improvements to make production more efficient and affordable while maintaining high performance and reliability.

With completion of the certification test series, all systems will be “go” to produce the first new RS-25 engines since the space shuttle era. NASA has contracted with Aerojet Rocketdyne to produce 24 new RS-25 engines using the updated design for missions beginning with Artemis V. NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 former space shuttle missions for use on Artemis missions I through IV.

Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.

Video Credit: NASA

Duration: 11 minutes

Release Date: Feb. 29, 2024

#NASA #Space #Artemis #ArtemisV #Moon #Rocket #SpaceLaunchSystem #SLS #Engine #RS25 #RS25Testing #AerojetRocketdyne #MoonToMars #DeepSpace #Propulsion #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #NASAStennis #Mississippi #MSFC #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #Timelapse #HD #Video

North America's Great Lakes Ice at Historic Low | NOAA

North America's Great Lakes Ice at Historic Low | NOAA

For the second consecutive year, ice cover on the Great Lakes remains significantly below average for this time of year. Typically, peak ice cover at levels are around 53 percent. As of February 11, 2024, total ice coverage across all lakes measured a mere 2.7 percent. Lakes Erie and Ontario are basically at—or tied with—their respective historic lows for this time of year, making both essentially ice-free. This record low ice cover is largely attributed to unusually warm temperatures throughout the region in December 2023, paired with the generally short duration of Arctic air blasts.

The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the east-central interior of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. The five lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario and are in general on or near the Canada–United States border.

Credits: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

Duration: 2 minutes, 20 seconds

Release Date: March 1, 2024

#NASA #NOAA #Science #Planet #Earth #Meteorology #Weather #Atmosphere #FreshwaterLakes #GreatLakes #LakeOntario #LakeErie #IceCover #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #GSFC #CIRA #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Tonight's Sky: March 2024 (Northern Hemisphere)

Tonight's Sky: March 2024 (Northern Hemisphere)

In March 2024, the stars of spring lie eastward. Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies.

“Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning.

This video was produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University.

Video Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 5 minutes, 21 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 25, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Planets #SolarSystem #Galaxies #Stars #StarClusters #Nebulae #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Skywatching #STScI #JPL #Caltech #SSU #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Pages

Sunday, March 03, 2024

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Friday, March 01, 2024