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Orbital Sunrise over Indian Ocean | International Space Station
Orbital sunrise begins illuminating Earth's atmosphere as the Expedition 71 crew aboard the International Space Station orbited 266 miles over the Indian Ocean.
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, 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.
American & Russian Crewmates Prepare Orlan Spacesuits for a Station Spacewalk
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick (center) poses for a portrait with Expedition 71 Commander Oleg Kononenko (left) and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub (right), both Roscosmos cosmonauts. Dominick was inside the Poisk module assisting Kononenko and Chub as they prepared their Orlan spacesuits for a spacewalk to configure hardware and install experiments on the International Space Station. Kononenko is the current commander of the International Space Station.
Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub concluded their spacewalk April 25, 2024, at 3:33 p.m. EDT after four hours and 36 minutes.
Kononenko and Chub completed their major objectives, which included completing the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar communications system on the Russian segment of the complex and installing equipment and experiments to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules.
This was the seventh spacewalk in Kononenko’s career, and the second for Chub. It is the 270th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, 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 & Caption Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Shenzhou-18 China Space Station Crew: Pre-launch Send-Off Ceremony
From left to right: Astronauts Li Guangsu (mission specialist), Li Cong (mission specialist), Ye Guangfu (commander)
From left to right: Astronauts Li Guangsu, Ye Guangfu (commander) & Li Cong
From left to right: Astronauts Ye Guangfu (commander), Li Cong & Li Guangsu
From left to right: Astronauts Li Guangsu, Ye Guangfu (commander) & Li Cong
A send-off ceremony for three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceflight mission to the China Space Station was held on Thursday afternoon, April 25, 2024, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship lifted off successfully at at 12:59 UTC (20:59 China Standard Time) at the launch site.
The three Chinese astronauts Ye Guangfu (mission commander), Li Cong and Li Guangsu reported to the commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Xu Xueqiang that they were ready to undertake their mission.
After receiving an order from the commander-in-chief, the astronauts boarded a vehicle and departed for the launch site amid cheers from a crowd of well-wishers.
The three astronauts are set to stay in orbit for around six months, and will take over the command of China's Tiangong space station after completing an in-orbit handover with their colleagues of the Shenzhou-17 mission, who are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 30, 2024.
After entering orbit, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship will perform a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of the space station core module Tianhe about six and a half hours into the mission, forming a combination of three modules and three spacecraft.
The crew will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft and Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship during their stay.
Image Credits: China Global Television Network (CGTN)/Wu Lei/Xinhua/People's Daily/AstroNana
Shenzhou-18 China Space Station Crew: Pre-launch Send-Off Ceremony
A send-off ceremony for three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceflight mission to the China Space Station was held on Thursday afternoon, April 25, 2024, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship lifted off successfully at at 12:59 UTC (20:59 China Standard Time) at the launch site.
The three Chinese astronauts Ye Guangfu (mission commander), Li Cong and Li Guangsu reported to the commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Xu Xueqiang that they were ready to undertake their mission.
After receiving an order from the commander-in-chief, the astronauts boarded a vehicle and departed for the launch site amid cheers from a crowd of well-wishers.
The three astronauts are set to stay in orbit for around six months, and will take over the command of China's Tiangong space station after completing an in-orbit handover with their colleagues of the Shenzhou-17 mission, who are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 30, 2024.
After entering orbit, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship will perform a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of the space station core module Tianhe about six and a half hours into the mission, forming a combination of three modules and three spacecraft.
The crew will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft and Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship during their stay.
Shenzhou-18 Crew Launch to China Space Station | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
The Shenzhou-18 crew spacecraft was successfully launched by the Long March-2F Y18 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China on April 25, 2024, at 12:59 UTC (20:59 China Standard Time). Shenzhou-18 is the seventh crew of three astronauts on a mission to the China Space Station.
Shenzhou-18 Crew
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong (mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (mission specialist)
Image Credits: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Global Television Network (CGTN)/Wu Lei
Shenzhou-18 Crew Launch to China Space Station | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
The Shenzhou-18 crew spacecraft was successfully launched by the Long March-2F Y18 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China on April 25, 2024, at 12:59 UTC (20:59 China Standard Time). Shenzhou-18 is the seventh crew of three astronauts on a mission to the China Space Station.
Shenzhou-18 Crew
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong (mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (mission specialist)
Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV)
NASA Shares Spacewalk Plan for Russian Cosmonauts | International Space Station
This animation discusses the upcoming spacewalk for Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia. Kononenko is the current commander of the International Space Station. They will egress the Poisk airlock to complete the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar system on the Nauka module and install equipment and experiments on the Poisk module to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules. It will be the 270th spacewalk in support of station maintenance and upgrades, the seventh for Kononenko and the second for Chub.
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, 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.
China's Shenzhou-18 Crew: Official Photos | China Space Station
From left to right: Astronauts Li Guangsu, Ye Guangfu (commander) & Li Cong
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong (mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (mission specialist)
Shenzhou-18 Mission Emblem
Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission to the China Space Station, were introduced to the world on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Their Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship is scheduled to lift off at 20:59 Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.
Shenzhou-18 Crew
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong
Li Guangsu
"As evaluated and decided by the mission headquarters, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 20:59 on April 25 Beijing Time. Crew members are astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, with Ye Guangfu as the mission commander. Astronaut Ye Guangfu has participated in the Shenzhou-13 manned space flight mission, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu are among the country's third batch of astronauts and will carry out a space flight for the first time," said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA.
After reaching the space station, the trio will be greeted by the Shenzhou-17 crew currently aboard the Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-17 crew has been on the space station since Oct 26 last year and will return to Earth after completing in-orbit rotation.
The upcoming mission marks China's 13th manned spaceflight mission since the launch of the manned space program and represents the first manned mission to the space station this year.
China's Tiangong space station will continue its normal operation, with plans outlined for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions in 2024. The Tianzhou-7 cargo supply mission was successfully completed in January this year.
The Shenzhou-18 spaceship, sitting atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was transferred to the launching area on April 17, with pre-launch function checks and joint tests conducted to ensure the spaceship's readiness.
The Great Rift over Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile
Is that a cosmic crack in the sky? No, it is just the colossal clouds of dust in the Milky Way known as the Great Rift. In this stunning image from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab, the Great Rift’s dark clouds appear to slice in half the Milky Way’s river of starlight.
Running vertically through this image, the Great Rift reminds us that our Milky Way is not simply a collection of stars. It is host to a staggering amount of interstellar dust. In fact, the Great Rift alone contains a million Suns’ worth of it! This opaque cloud complex is made of ultrafine particles around ten times smaller than pollen. Despite their diminutive size, acting together, they can obscure the light from the brightest part of the galaxy.
Another cloud of dust is also visible from this view. Running diagonally downward from the top left of this image is a band of interplanetary dust. Its conical white glow is known as the zodiacal light. Unlike the Great Rift, which is dark and far beyond our cosmic neighborhood, this dust is bright and within the confines of our Solar System. Its faint white glow is caused by reflected sunlight. Note that at the upper left, within the band of zodiacal light, is dazzling Venus. To its immediate right are Mars and Saturn, respectively.
This image was taken by Tomas Slovinský, a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.
Image Credits: Tomas Slovinsky; CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Happy 34th Birthday, Hubble! Did you know that the Hubble Space Telescope has not only expanded our understanding of the universe, it has impacted innovations here on Earth? From enhancing illness detection imagery to tracking endangered species, Hubble has helped shape our lives and society.
The Hubble Space Telescope (often referred to as HST or Hubble) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was not the first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most versatile, renowned as a vital research tool and as a public relations boon for astronomy. The Hubble telescope is named after astronomer Edwin Hubble and is one of NASA's Great Observatories. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) selects Hubble's targets and processes the resulting data, while the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) controls the spacecraft.
Video: Space Telescope Science Institute/Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI)
How did a star form this beautiful nebula? In the middle of emission nebula NGC 6164 is an unusually massive star. The central star has been compared to an oyster's pearl and an egg protected by the mythical sky dragons of Ara. The star, visible in the center of the featured image and catalogued as HD 148937, is so hot that the ultraviolet light it emits heats up gas that surrounds it. This gas was likely thrown off from the star previously, possibly the result of a gravitational interaction with a looping stellar companion. Expelled material might have been channeled by the magnetic field of the massive star, creating the symmetric shape of the bipolar nebula. NGC 6164 spans about four light years and is located about 3,600 light years away.
The Hubble Space Telescope: Highlights from its 34th Year in Orbit
The Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 34th year in orbit by premiering a stunning new Hubble image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. Located approximately 3,400 light-years away the Little Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula, which is an expanding shell of gas around an aging or dying star.
Even after all these years, Hubble continues to uncover the mysteries of the universe. These are a few science achievements from Hubble’s latest year in orbit.
Astronauts of China's Shenzhou-18 Mission Meet the Press | China Space Station
Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission to the China Space Station, met the press on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Their Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship is scheduled to lift off at 20:59 Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.
Shenzhou-18 Crew
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong
Li Guangsu
"As evaluated and decided by the mission headquarters, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 20:59 on April 25 Beijing Time. Crew members are astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, with Ye Guangfu as the mission commander. Astronaut Ye Guangfu has participated in the Shenzhou-13 manned space flight mission, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu are among the country's third batch of astronauts and will carry out a space flight for the first time," said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA.
After reaching the space station, the trio will be greeted by the Shenzhou-17 crew currently aboard the Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-17 crew has been on the space station since Oct 26 last year and will return to Earth after completing in-orbit rotation.
The upcoming mission marks China's 13th manned spaceflight mission since the launch of the manned space program and represents the first manned mission to the space station this year.
China's Tiangong space station will continue its normal operation, with plans outlined for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions in 2024. The Tianzhou-7 cargo supply mission was successfully completed in January this year.
The Shenzhou-18 spaceship, sitting atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was transferred to the launching area on April 17, with pre-launch function checks and joint tests conducted to ensure the spaceship's readiness.
Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)
China's Shenzhou-18 Crew Mission: Ready for Launch | China Space Station
The Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission completed its last joint practice on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, before launch, with all systems in good condition and ready for the mission.
Shenzhou-18 Crew
Ye Guangfu (commander)
Li Cong
Li Guangsu
With the unified dispatch of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Xi'an Satellite Control Center and the mission's various sub control stations coordinated a comprehensive simulation of technical states and work processes during launch preparation, launch, and flight of the Shenzhou-18.
The final joint rehearsal is the one with all the necessary procedures in place, making it the most accurate simulation of the actual process before the launch.
"Currently, our spacecraft system is functioning normally with all performance indicators within expected parameters. The interface with the rocket and the data from various systems and equipment within the spacecraft are all normal, and the environmental control and health protection system are also operating as expected. We have completed all necessary preparations for the launch," said Luo Guqing, a researcher of the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
April is typically the windiest and sandiest month at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The meteorological staff at the launch site have analyzed April's wind speed data over the past 10 years and mapped out multiple contingency response plans.
The rocket system has also worked out protective measures.
"To address the windy and sandy conditions, we've mapped out specific measures. If the weather forecast predicts strong winds and sandstorms, we'll block and wrap the exposed parts before the launch pad opens. This ensures that the launch can proceed smoothly despite challenging weather conditions," said Gu Mingkun, a researcher of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the CASC.
Currently, facilities and equipment at the launch site are in good condition, and the site is set to proceed with the scheduled rocket propellant filling and launch. Meanwhile, the emergency response team for the rocket's ascent phase is fully prepared and making necessary arrangements.
The air detachment has conducted over 10 specialized flight training sessions involving flight, maintenance, and support personnel, and both personnel and equipment are currently in optimal conditions.
Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Success & Preparation | NASA's Artemis I Mission & Beyond
At 1:47 a.m. EST (6:47 UTC) on Nov. 16, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft launched atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from historic Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on a path to the Moon, officially beginning the Artemis I mission.
Over the course of 25.5 days, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles (129 kilometers) of the lunar surface. At its farthest distance during the mission, Orion traveled nearly 270,000 miles (435,000 kilometers) from our home planet. NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully completed a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at 9:40 a.m. PST (12:40 p.m. EST) as the final major milestone of the Artemis I mission.
Artemis I set new records of performance, exceeded efficiency expectations, and established new safety baselines for humans in deep space. This is a prelude to what comes next—following the success of Artemis I, human beings will fly around the Moon on Artemis II.
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