Soyuz Landing: O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya | International Space Station

Soyuz Landing: O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6, 2024.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth at 11:55 a.m. when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station.

This is the first space mission for a citizen of the Eastern European nation of Belarus. Vasilevskaya and O'Hara are on their first spaceflight missions.

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth

Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled

Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

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: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya after Soyuz Landing | International Space Station

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya after Soyuz Landing | International Space Station

Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara is seen holding a matryoshka doll that was gifted to her outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft.

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara is carried to a medical tent by NASA ISS Program Manager Dana Weigel, left, NASA Interpreter Ilya Shlepakov, and NASA Chief of the Astronaut Office Joe Acaba, right.

Cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus is seen outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft

Cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus is carried to a medical tent.

Cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus is helped out of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia is seen outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft.

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara is seen talking on a satellite phone outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft.

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, center, is seen with NASA Director for Human Space Flight Programs, Russia, Mark Thiessen, left, and NASA Chief of the Astronaut Office Joe Acaba, right, as she arrives at the Karaganda Airport in Kazakhstan a few hours after she landed.

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6, 2024.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth at 11:55 a.m. when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station.

This is the first space mission for a citizen of the Eastern European nation of Belarus. Vasilevskaya and O'Hara are on their first spaceflight missions.

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth

Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled

Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

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: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Moon and The April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse | NASA Goddard

The Moon and The April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse | NASA Goddard

On April 8th, 2024, parts of the United States, Mexico and Canada will get to experience a total solar eclipse. This video tutorial takes a look at this unique event and explains what role the Moon plays in creating it. The video explains how the two parts of the Moon’s shadow, the umbra and penumbra, affect how we see a solar eclipse on Earth, and where the path of totality for the 2024 eclipse resides.  

In addition, this video highlights how data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) helps us more accurately depict the shape of the umbra when creating eclipse maps.

To learn more about eclipse safety visit: go.nasa.gov/EclipseSafety

View and download the eclipse map here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5073

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Video Produced and Edited by: David Ladd (Abacus Technology Corp.)

Visualizations by: Ernie Wright (USRA) 

Duration: 3 minutes, 32 seconds

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #EclipseMap #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #Canada #Mexico #GSFC #USRA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis V Moon Rocket Engine Test#12: April 3, 2024 | Stennis Space Center

NASA Artemis V Moon Rocket Engine Test#12: April 3, 2024 | Stennis Space Center

An Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 rocket engine (RS-25 developmental engine E0525) was tested on the Fred Haise Test Stand (formerly A-1 Test Stand) at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, on April 3, 2024, at 17:23 UTC (12:23 CDT). This was the 6th test using a new production engine nozzle providing additional performance data on the upgraded unit and the final 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 500 seconds, with the RS-25 engine running up to 113% power level.

NASA achieved a major milestone April 3 for production of new RS-25 engines to help power its Artemis campaign to the Moon and beyond with completion of a critical engine certification test series.

The 12-test series represents a key step for lead engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to build new RS-25 engines, using modern processes and manufacturing techniques, for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rockets that will power future lunar missions, beginning with Artemis V.

“The conclusion of the certification test series at NASA Stennis is just the beginning for the next generation of RS-25 engines that will help power human spaceflight for Artemis,” said Johnny Heflin, SLS liquid engines manager. “The newly produced engines on future SLS rockets will maintain the high reliability and safe flight operational legacy the RS-25 is known for while enabling more affordable high-performance engines for the next era of deep space exploration.”

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.

Contributing to that effort, the NASA Stennis test team conducted a full-duration, 500-second hot fire to complete the 12-test series on developmental engine E0525, providing critical performance data for the final RS-25 design certification review. The April 3 hot fire completed a test series that began in October 2023.

RS-25 engines are evolved space shuttle main engines, upgraded with new components to produce the additional power needed to help launch NASA’s SLS rocket. The first four Artemis missions are using modified space shuttle main engines also tested at NASA Stennis. For each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS rocket, producing more than 8.8 million pounds of total combined thrust at liftoff.

“Successfully completing this rigorous test series is a testament to the outstanding work done by the team to design, implement and test this upgraded version of the RS-25 that reduces the cost by 30% from the space shuttle program,” said Mike Lauer, RS-25 program director at Aerojet Rocketdyne. “We tested the new RS-25 engines to the extreme limits of operation to ensure the engines can operate at a higher power level needed for SLS and complete the mission with margin.”

All RS-25 engines are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions. RS-25 tests at the center are conducted by a diverse team of operators from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.

Credit: NASA's Stennis Space Center

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 9 minutes

Release Date:  April 3, 2024

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

Elon Musk's "To Make Life Multiplanetary" Presentation Excerpt | SpaceX

Elon Musk's "To Make Life Multiplanetary" Presentation Excerpt | SpaceX

For the full 44-minute talk, visit: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1776669097490776563 

"The goal of SpaceX is to build the technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary. This is the first time in the 4-billion-year history of Earth that it’s possible to realize that goal and protect the light of consciousness."

"At Starbase on Thursday, April 4, 2024, SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk provided an update on the company’s plans to send humanity to Mars—the best destination to begin making life multiplanetary.

Elon Musk also discusses "the mechanics and challenges of traveling to Mars, along with what we’re building today to enable sending around a million people and several million tons to the Martian surface in the years to come."

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds

Release Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #FlightTest3 #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

A Cosmic Life: Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, The Moon, Jupiter & Galaxies M31 & M33

A Cosmic Life: Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, The Moon, Jupiter & Galaxies M31 & M33

Astrophotographer Cayetana Saiz: "After sunset on March 13 this year, comet 12P/Pons-Brooks crossed our skies after being absent for 71 years. Jupiter is seen here as it shines in conjunction with our Moon. In this composite image, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is at the far right, and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) at the center right."

Photo Details: This image is the result of the composition of photographs taken the same night. The foreground, the Moon and Jupiter were all taken during the blue hour: 5D Mark IV camera; Sigma 24-70 lens; f2. 8; ISO 400; 24 mm; 9.6 seconds exposure; f 10. For 12P/Pons-Brooks: Canon 800D astro-modified camera; Sigma Art 135 mm; F1.8; ISO 3200; 135 mm; 10 second exposure; f2 calibrated with darks and bias; 126 x 10" stacked (total 20' 11'').

Image & Caption Credit Cayetana Saiz

Image Date: March 13, 2024

Location: Castanedo, Spain Coordinates: 43.4362456, -3.6972219

Cayetana's Website: https://www.instagram.com/caye.wildvisuals/

Release Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Planet #Earth #Jupiter #Comets #Comet #Comet12PPonsBrooks #SolarSystem #AndromedaGalaxy #M31 #TriangulumGalaxy #M33 #Galaxies #Astrophotography #CayetanaSaiz #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #Spain #España #STEM #Education

Soyuz MS-24 Crew Landing Day Highlights | International Space Station

Soyuz MS-24 Crew Landing Day Highlights | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara of the United States, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, closed the hatch of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on April 6, 2024, ahead of their landing later that day. Following hatch closure, the vehicle undocked from the International Space Station’s Rassvet module, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. During her mission, O’Hara spent 204 days in space living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. 

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6, 2024.

This is the first space mission for a citizen of the Eastern European nation of Belarus. Vasilevskaya and O'Hara are on their first spaceflight missions.

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 24 minutes

Release Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya: Kazakhstan Landing | International Space Station

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya: Kazakhstan Landing | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6, 2024.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth at 11:55 a.m. when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station.

This is the first space mission for a citizen of the Eastern European nation of Belarus. Vasilevskaya and O'Hara are on their first spaceflight missions.

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth

Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled

Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

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.

Video Credit: Roscosmos/NASA TV

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 5 minutes, 25 seconds

Image Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya Land in Kazakhstan | International Space Station

O'Hara, Novitskiy & Vasilevskaya Land in Kazakhstan | International Space Station

Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, right, are seen inside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft after they landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Saturday, April 6, 2024. 

Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara gives a thumbs up inside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft after she, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Saturday, April 6, 2024. 

Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara is seen outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft after she, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya is seen outside the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft after she, Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia is helped out of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft just minutes after he, Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara of the United States, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6, 2024.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth at 11:55 a.m. when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth

Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled

Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

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: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: April 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #JSC #UnitedStates #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #STEM #Education

Soyuz MS-24 Hatch Closure for Crew's Earth Return | International Space Station

Soyuz MS-24 Hatch Closure for Crew's Earth Return | International Space Station

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft’s hatch was closed on April 6, 2024, at 00:45 UTC. Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy (Олег Новицкий) of Russia, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara of the United States and Cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya (Марына Васілеўская) of Belarus are departing the International Space Station with Soyuz MS-24 scheduled to undock on April 6, 2024, at 03:54 UTC. 

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.

Video Credit: NASA/Roscosmos

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 1 minute, 47 seconds

Release Date: April 5, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks over Italy

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks over Italy

12P/Pons–Brooks is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 71 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with an orbital period between 20 and 200 years. It is also one of the brightest known periodic comets, reaching an absolute visual magnitude ~5 in its approach to perihelion.

Comet Pons-Brooks was discovered at Marseilles Observatory in July 1812 by Jean-Louis Pons.

Technical Details:

Telescopio: Askar fra600 ridotto a f3.9

Camera: Zwo Asi 2600 mc duo

Montatura: Skywatcher AZ-EQ5

Filtro optolong l-pro

Software d'acquisizione Sgpro

8 x 120s

Pixinsight

Photoshop

Image Credit: Gianni Lacroce

Gianni's website: https://www.astrobin.com/users/gianni.lacroce/

Image Date: April 5, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Earth #Comets #Comet #Comet12PPonsBrooks #Perihelion #Lacerta #Constellation #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #GianniLacroce #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #Italy #Italia #STEM #Education

China's 2nd Lunar Sample Return Mission: Visiting Far Side South Pole in 2024

China's 2nd Lunar Sample Return Mission: Visiting Far Side South Pole in 2024

China successfully completed the launch of Queqiao-2 in March 2024, a relay satellite designed to enable communications between the far side of the moon and Earth. It will support China's Chang'e-6 lunar mission to collect the world's first samples from the moon's South Pole-Aitken basin in 2024.

Unlike previous missions that sampled the near side of the moon, direct communications between Chang'e-6 and Earth will be lost when Chang'e-6 undertakes its sampling task.

Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2024

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Earth #Moon #FarSide #SouthPole #AitkenBasin #LunarSampleReturn #LSR #Change6Mission #Queqiao2 #CNSA #中国国家航天局 #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #Robotics #Spaceflight #MoonToMars #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #UNOOSA #STEM #Education #CGTN #HD #Video

Planet Mars Images: April 2024 | NASA Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: April 2024 | NASA Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Mars 2020 - sol 1109

Mars 2020 - sol 1106

MSL - sol 4144

MSL - sol 4139

MSL - sol 4142

MSL - sol 4140

MSL - sol 4139

MSL - sol 4144

Support FriendsofNASA.org

Celebrating 11+ Years on Mars (2012-2024)

Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Rover Name: Curiosity

Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 

Launch: Nov. 6, 2011

Landing Date: Aug. 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

Celebrating 3+ 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.

Launch: July 30, 2020    

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

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

Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Processing: Kevin M. Gill

Image Release Dates: March 30-April 4, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #MountSharp #GaleCrater #PerseveranceRover #Mars2020 #JezeroCrater #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #CitizenScience #KevinGill #STEM #Education

Preparing for Crew Member Departures: April 2024 | International Space Station

Preparing for Crew Member Departures: April 2024 | International Space Station

Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Loral O Hara is pictured inside the cupola the International Space Station s window to the world as the orbital complex soared 259 miles above Turkmenistan.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers (from left) Tracy C. Dyson and Jeanette Epps, both NASA astronauts, are pictured aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers from left: Loral O Hara and Tracy C. Dyson, both NASA astronauts, review documents aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers from left: Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Loral O'Hara participate in an Earth photography session inside the cupola the International Space Station's window to the world. The orbital complex was soaring 259 miles above West Virginia in the United States at the time of this photograph.

Expedition 70 Flght Engineer and NASA astronaut Loral O Hara's image is refracted in a water bubble she squeezed from a drinking bag aboard the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara conducts leak checks and tries on the Sokol launch and entry suit she will wear when she returns to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship docked to the International Space Station's Rassvet module.

Pictured from left, Soyuz MS-24 crew members NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia pose for a portrait at the Garagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in their Sokol launch and entry suits.

The Soyuz MS-25 crew ship is pictured docked to the International Space Station's Prichal docking module as the orbital complex soared 263 miles above the South Pacific Ocean.

Three International Space Station residents are in their final full day aboard the orbital outpost focusing their attention on Friday night’s departure. The rest of the Expedition 70 crew continued its human research activities ensuring crews remain healthy in space.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara is nearing the end of her spaceflight that began on Sept. 15, 2023. She is returning to Earth with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-24 crew ship. The trio will undock from the Rassvet module at 11:54 p.m. EDT on Friday and parachute to landing inside the Soyuz in Kazakhstan at 3:17 a.m. on Saturday (12:17 p.m. Kazakh time).

Follow Expedition 70 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia), Oleg Novitskiy (Russia), Marina Vasilevskaya (Belarus)

NASA: Loral O'Hara, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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's Johnson Space/Andrey Shelepin

Image Dates: Oct. 13, 2022-April 4, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #SoyuzCrewSpacecraft #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Belarus #Беларусь #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #JSC #STEM #Education

NASA's Space to Ground: Totality | Week of April 5, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground: Totality | Week of April 5, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. Three International Space Station residents are in their final full day aboard the orbital outpost focusing their attention on Friday night’s departure. The rest of the Expedition 70 crew continued its human research activities ensuring crews remain healthy in space.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara is nearing the end of her spaceflight that began on Sept. 15, 2023. She is returning to Earth with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship. The trio will undock from the Rassvet module at 11:54 p.m. EDT on Friday and parachute to landing inside the Soyuz in Kazakhstan at 3:17 a.m. on Saturday (12:17 p.m. Kazakh time).

Follow Expedition 70 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia), Oleg Novitskiy (Russia), Marina Vasilevskaya (Belarus)

NASA: Loral O'Hara, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 4 minutes, 38 seconds

Release Date: April 5, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Belarus #Беларусь #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship: Highlights of Third Flight Test

SpaceX Starship: Highlights of Third Flight Test

On March 14, 2024, Starship successfully lifted off at 8:25 a.m. CT from Starbase in Texas and went on to accomplish several major milestones and firsts.

Starship's six second stage Raptor engines all started successfully and powered the vehicle to its expected orbit, becoming the first Starship to complete its full-duration ascent burn. Starship went on to experience its first ever entry from space, providing valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry. Live views of entry were made possible by Starlink terminals operating on Starship.

This rapid iterative development approach has been the basis for all of SpaceX’s major innovative advancements, including Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink. Recursive improvement is essential as we work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond.

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 2 minutes, 22 seconds

Release Date: April 4, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #FlightTest3 #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video