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NASA Astronaut Thomas Stafford: Commander of First U.S.-Russian Space Mission
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford: Official NASA Portrait (April 12, 1972)
Apollo 10 Lunar Orbit Mission: Left to right, are Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot; John W. Young, command module pilot; and Thomas P. Stafford, commander. In the background is the Apollo 10 space vehicle on Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida (May 13, 1969)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo 9 commander, is suited up at the Kennedy Space Center for a Countdown Demonstration Test (May 13, 1969)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Gemini-6 prime crew pilot, is pictured onboard the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever in the Gulf of Mexico during water egress training (August 23, 1965)
Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (foreground), command pilot, and Eugene A. Cernan, pilot, walk up the ramp at Pad 19 during the Gemini-9A prelaunch countdown (June 3, 1966)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, command pilot of the Gemini-9 prime crew, undergoes familiarization training with the Gemini-9 spacecraft at the McDonnell plant in St. Louis (February 8, 1966)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, pilot, is pictured in the Gemini-6 spacecraft in the White Room atop Pad 19 prior to the closing of the hatches during the Gemini-6 prelaunch countdown. In the background (partially out of view) is astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr., command pilot.
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford (left) and cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov participate in Apollo-Soyuz Test Project joint crew training in Building 35 at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Stafford and Leonov are the commanders of their respective prime crews. They are in the Soviet Soyuz Orbital Module mock-up.
NASA statement: "We are mourning the passing of Thomas P. Stafford at the age of 93 (September 17, 1930—March 18, 2024). In December 1965, Stafford piloted Gemini VI, the first rendezvous in space, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous.
Later he commanded Gemini IX and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that would be used in the Apollo lunar missions, the first optical rendezvous, and a lunar orbit abort rendezvous.
He served as the commander of the Apollo 10 ‘dress rehearsal’ mission preparing for the first Moon landing and as Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, a joint space flight culminating in the historic first meeting in space between American Astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts, which ended the International space race.
Throughout his career, Stafford helped us push the boundaries of what's possible in air and space, flying more than 100 different types of aircraft."
Former NASA Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford - Official NASA Biography:
Expedition 71 Soyuz Rocket Rollout in Kazakhstan | International Space Station
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz 2.1a rocket that will launch the Soyuz MS-25 crew to the International Space Station rolled out from its integration building to the launch pad for final preparations. While that took place, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Soyuz commander Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Belarus cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus completed their training for their launch aboard the Soyuz to the orbital outpost scheduled for March 21, 2024.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.
Expedition 71 Soyuz Rocket Rollout in Kazakhstan | International Space Station
The Soyuz rocket was rolled out by train to the launch pad at Site 31, Monday, March 18, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and Belarus cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on March 21, 2024.
Dyson will spend six months on the station, returning to Earth in September on Soyuz MS-25 while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth April 2 on Soyuz MS-24 along with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, who has been aboard the orbital complex since last September.
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.
China's First Commercial Spaceport: Ready for Rocket Launches by June 2024
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang City of south China's Hainan Province will be capable of launches by June 2024, said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. Construction of the No. 1 launch pad started in July 2022, and the equipment-installation phase was completed by the end of 2023.
Technical personnel from China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) are currently conducting joint debugging of the hydraulic, measurement and control and electromechanical systems at the No. 1 launch pad. Over 20 technical experts from across the country have also been dispatched to the launch site to ensure the timely progress of the project construction.
"We are working extratime to carry out several major processes, including adjustment, optimization, and debugging. We provide skillful support for on-site debugging and track the entire process from stem to stem to ensure the safety, reliability, and controllability of our shakedown test," said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CALT.
The No. 1 launch pad is a dedicated launch station for the Long March-8 carrier rockets, containing 11 types of equipment and facilities such as fixed service towers and launch pads. To ensure high efficiency, a series of technological innovations have been adopted in the design and product selection of the launch site to meet the demand for continuous launching of rockets within a short period of time.
"For commercial space launches, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are crucial. Therefore, we have made significant innovations in this regard. For example, we have made improvements to the tower structure behind me in terms of the deflector cone. Now, this deflector cone can be restored within seven days, enabling the capability for a second launch," Zhang said.
Currently, the equipment commissioning for No. 1 launch pad is expected to be completed by the end of March, while the installation of equipment for No. 2 launch pad is currently underway.
"Next, we will proceed with matchmaking between launch pads and propellant gas supply system, as well as the integration testing of sub-systems. In the subsequent stage, we will conduct comprehensive testing to the whole system. It is expected that the two launch pads will have basic launch capabilities by the end of June," said Ge Lixin, director of the engineering and equipment department, Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd.
Based on the commercial space launch site, Hainan plans to accelerate the formation of commercial space industry clusters focusing on the rocket industry supply chain, satellite industry supply chain, and the data management chain.
Pan of The Spider Galaxy: UGC 5829 | Hubble Space Telescope
This gauzy-looking celestial body is UGC 5829, an irregular galaxy that lies about 30 million light-years away. Despite there not being many observations of this relatively faint galaxy, it has the distinction of having a descriptive soubriquet: the Spider Galaxy. Perhaps the distorted galactic arms with their glowing, star-forming tips bring to mind the clawed legs of an arachnid. Somewhat confusingly, there is another, very similarly nicknamed but otherwise entirely distinct, galaxy known as the Spiderweb Galaxy. This galaxy has also been more extensively imaged (notably by Hubble), despite the fact that it lies about 300 times further from Earth than the Spider Galaxy does.
Fortunately, correct galaxy identification does not depend on casual given names. Rather, known galaxies are recorded in at least one catalogue—and often in several—such as the Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies, which gives the Spider Galaxy its more formal title of UGC 5829. This same galaxy also has several different designations in various other catalogues: it is, for example, LEDA 31923 in the Lyon-Meudon Extragalactic Database; MCG+06-24-006 in the Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies; and SDSS J104242.78+342657.3 in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Catalogue. The Spiderweb Galaxy is not recorded in all of the same catalogues—each is necessarily limited in scope— but it is included in the LEDA catalogue as LEDA 2826829. It is evidently simpler to not conflate the dull but distinct names LEDA 31923 and LEDA 2826829, than the fun but easily confused Spider and Spiderweb!
Image Description: An irregular galaxy, consisting of a large central body of dull-colored stars with distorted arms around it. The arms are spotted with brightly glowing pink areas where stars are forming, and bluish gas that is brighter than the galactic core. Two large arms flank the left and right of the body, and smaller streams of stars emerge from the top. Other, distant, galaxies can be seen on the edges of the image.
Image Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, R. Tully, M. Messa
The Spider Galaxy: UGC 5829 | Hubble Space Telescope
This gauzy-looking celestial body is UGC 5829, an irregular galaxy that lies about 30 million light-years away. Despite there not being many observations of this relatively faint galaxy, it has the distinction of having a descriptive soubriquet: the Spider Galaxy. Perhaps the distorted galactic arms with their glowing, star-forming tips bring to mind the clawed legs of an arachnid. Somewhat confusingly, there is another, very similarly nicknamed but otherwise entirely distinct, galaxy known as the Spiderweb Galaxy. This galaxy has also been more extensively imaged (notably by Hubble), despite the fact that it lies about 300 times further from Earth than the Spider Galaxy does.
Fortunately, correct galaxy identification does not depend on casual given names. Rather, known galaxies are recorded in at least one catalogue—and often in several—such as the Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies, which gives the Spider Galaxy its more formal title of UGC 5829. This same galaxy also has several different designations in various other catalogues: it is, for example, LEDA 31923 in the Lyon-Meudon Extragalactic Database; MCG+06-24-006 in the Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies; and SDSS J104242.78+342657.3 in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Catalogue. The Spiderweb Galaxy is not recorded in all of the same catalogues—each is necessarily limited in scope— but it is included in the LEDA catalogue as LEDA 2826829. It is evidently simpler to not conflate the dull but distinct names LEDA 31923 and LEDA 2826829, than the fun but easily confused Spider and Spiderweb!
Image Description: An irregular galaxy, consisting of a large central body of dull-colored stars with distorted arms around it. The arms are spotted with brightly glowing pink areas where stars are forming, and bluish gas that is brighter than the galactic core. Two large arms flank the left and right of the body, and smaller streams of stars emerge from the top. Other, distant, galaxies can be seen on the edges of the image.
Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Tully, M. Messa
Panning over Dwarf Galaxy IC 3476 in Coma Berenices | Hubble
This image features IC 3476, a dwarf galaxy that lies about 54 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices. Whilst this image does not look very dramatic—if we were to anthropomorphize the galaxy, we might say it looks almost serene—the actual physical events taking place in IC 3476 are highly energetic. In fact, the little galaxy is undergoing a process known as ram pressure stripping. This is driving unusually high levels of star formation within regions of the galaxy itself.
We tend to associate the letters ‘ram’ with the acronym RAM, which refers to Random Access Memory in computing. However, ram pressure has a totally distinct definition in physics. It is the pressure exerted on a body when it moves through a fluid, due to the overall resistance of the fluid. In the case of entire galaxies experiencing ram pressure, the galaxies are the ‘bodies’ and the intergalactic or intracluster medium (the dust and gas that permeates the space between galaxies, and for the latter the spaces between galaxies in clusters) is the ‘fluid’.
Ram pressure stripping occurs when the ram pressure results in gas being stripped from the galaxy. This stripping away of gas can lead to a reduction in the level of star formation, or even its complete cessation, as gas is absolutely key to the formation of stars. However, the ram pressure can also cause other parts of the galaxy to be compressed. This can actually boost star formation. It seems to be taking place in IC 3476. There appears to be absolutely no star formation going on at the edge of the galaxy bearing the brunt of the ram pressure stripping, but then star formation rates within deeper regions of the galaxy seem to be markedly above average.
Image Description: A dwarf spiral galaxy. The center is not particularly bright and is covered by dust, while the outer disc and halo wrap around as if they were swirling water. Across the face of the galaxy, an arc of brightly glowing spots marks areas where new stars are being formed. The galaxy is surrounded by tiny, distant galaxies on a dark background.
Video Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, M. Sun
NASA Artemis Astronaut Training: Behind The Scenes | Johnson Space Center
Prior to their recent graduation, NASA’s ten astronaut candidates spent the past two years in basic training to become flight-eligible astronauts. Since their selection in December 2021, they have been learning International Space Station systems, training for spacewalks, practicing robotic operations, operating T-38 jets, studying wilderness survival, and much more. Two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have trained alongside them every step of the way.
The bulk of their training took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The completion of this training signifies their graduation as flight-eligible astronauts, meaning they are now able to be selected to go to space. Once they are assigned a mission to space, the astronaut will continue their training at a deeper level.
Learn more about our newest class of Artemis astronauts:
China Prepares to Launch Second Lunar Communications Satellite: Queqiao-2
The Long March-8 Y3 rocket will launch the Queqiao-2 relay satellite from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, Hainan Province, China. On March 17, 2024, the Long March-8 Y3 rocket and the Queqiao-2 relay satellite (Magpie Bridge-2) were vertically transferred to the launching area. Queqiao-2 will provide communications services for the Chang’e-4, Chang’e-6, Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 lunar missions.
Countdown has begun for the launch of China's relay satellite Queqiao-2 as the combination of the satellite and the Long March 8 Y3 carrier rocket was vertically transported on Sunday to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan, said the China National Space Administration.
The final assembly and testing of the satellite for communications between the far side of the moon and the Earth has been completed after it was transported to the launch site in late February.
After being moved to the launch pad, engineers will carry out rocket check, the joint test work and the propellant filling before the launch in coming days.
Queqiao-2, or Magpie Bridge-2, will serve as a relay platform for the fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program, providing communications services for Chang'e-4, Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7, and Chang'e-8 missions.
Queqiao-1 was launched in 2018 and supported the Chang'e 4 lunar farside mission.
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) Acknowledgements: SciNews
St. Patrick’s Aurora Illuminates the Night Sky of Alaska
As we move closer to the peak of solar cycle 25, activity on the Sun is ratcheting up. One sign of that in Earth’s atmosphere in the form of a dazzling display of the aurora borealis, or northern lights.
This majestic image of the dazzling green lights of the aurora borealis was captured on March 17, 2015, around 5:30 a.m. EDT in Donnelly Creek, Alaska.
A Starry Night Sky over Gemini North Observatory in Hawaii
It is easy to assume that the deep void of outer space is completely dark, given the massive distances between celestial objects, but with the proper technique the truer count of all these objects becomes visible. Gemini North, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab, beholds this ethereal view of the brimming sky. With our naked eyes, we can see about 6,000 stars, out of around 200 billion in the Milky Way. And this does not include many other astronomical objects!
At the bottom of this image, the dense cloud deck below Gemini North’s position suppresses light pollution from neighboring cities. This blanket facilitates a substantially darker and clearer night, and light from fainter stars can more easily be captured. Appearing like a reflection of the clouds, the Milky Way itself is visible on the Hawaiian horizon. Also at the horizon, a bright band glows from the right half of the image—this is sunlight reflecting off of interplanetary dust, creating zodiacal light. On the opposite side of the horizon shines a splash of backscattered sunlight called the gegenschein.
The 8.1-meter diameter optical/infrared North Gemini Telescope is located on Hawaii‘s Maunakea as part of the international community of observatories built to take advantage of the superb atmospheric conditions on this long-dormant volcano that rises about 4,214 meters (13,825 feet) into the dry, stable air of the Pacific.
A broad expanse of glowing gas and dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker: the Seagull Nebula. This portrait of the cosmic bird covers a 2.5-degree wide swath across the plane of the Milky Way, near the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major) at an estimated 3,800 light-year distance.
Of course, the region includes objects with other catalog designations: notably NGC 2327, a compact, dusty emission, and reflection nebula with an embedded massive star that forms the bird's head. Likely part of a larger shell structure swept up by successive supernova explosions, the broad Seagull Nebula is cataloged as Sh2-296 and IC 2177.
The prominent bluish arc below and right of center is a bow shock from runaway star FN Canis Majoris. Dominated by the reddish glow of atomic hydrogen, this complex of gas and dust clouds with other stars of the Canis Majoris OB1 association spans over 200 light-years.
China Space Station Retrieves over 400 Material Samples after Space Exposure
A robotic arm on China's Tiangong space station successfully transferred an extravehicular experiment facility alongside with 407 material samples from outside the station's Wentian lab module to the station interior on Thursday, March 14, 2024. In order to study the stability, reliability, and longevity of these materials in space applications, the samples were moved outside of the space station on March 8, 2023, to be exposed to the space environment with high radiation levels, high vacuum levels, and wide temperature fluctuations.
According to researchers from the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CSU), the astronauts are scheduled to transfer the retrieved assembly to the Mengtian lab module on Friday. The disassembly and storage of the scientific experiment samples are then set to be conducted under the guidance of ground technicians.
"After the lab module returns to the space station, the astronauts will primarily disassemble these scientific samples and install them into our storage boxes. Later, with the manned spacecraft descending to the ground, the samples will be delivered to scientists for analysis and comparison," explained Fan Lianwen, an engineer at the center.
The first batch of materials for extravehicular exposure experiments include non-metallic materials, like memory polymer and solid lubrication, as well as metallic materials, such as magnesium alloy and porous copper.
New scientific experiment samples are planned to be transported to the Chinese Space Station in batches and several of them, like passive radiation refrigeration materials, polyimide fiber and optical fiber, have already been transported to the space station by the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft. A new round of exposure experiments is planned for May this year.
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
Watch the graduation day ceremony for NASA's newest astronauts!
On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, NASA honored its latest astronaut candidates on the completion of their training. Ten NASA candidates and two candidates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earned their wings in a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Center, becoming eligible for future assignments to the International Space Station, the Moon—and, eventually, missions to Mars.
Learn more about our newest class of Artemis astronauts:
Discussing "The Strong State of NASA" | This Week @NASA
Week of March 15, 2024: Discussing "the strong state of NASA," a safe return from the International Space Station, and testing critical hardware for a future mission . . . a few of the stories to tell you about–This Week at NASA!
Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
On March 15, 2024, Intuitive Machines provided an update on the status of the Odysseus Lunar Lander located near the Malapert A crater in the Moon’s South Pole region:
"The IM-1 Mission successfully landed the first spacecraft on the Moon's south pole region, marking the United States' first return since Apollo 17 and the first commercial lunar lander to transmit valuable science data of each NASA payload from the lunar surface."
On February 22, 2024, the IM-1 Mission Nova-C Moon Lander, named "Odysseus," became the first American spacecraft to land on the Moon’s surface since the NASA Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972.
NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative allows NASA to send science investigations and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface. Under Artemis, NASA will study more of the Moon than ever before, and CLPS will demonstrate how NASA is working with commercial companies to achieve robotic lunar exploration.
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