Friends of NASA (FoN) is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to building international support for peaceful space exploration, commerce, scientific discovery, and STEM education.
Night Sky Treasures: The Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Regulus Star & Comet C/2014 Q1
A treasure trove of jewels are revealed in the night sky. Biggest and brightest, the full Moon is flanked by the planets Venus and Jupiter, the second brightest objects in the photo. While, in the upper right, the star Regulus completes a cosmic cross. Near the horizon, comet C/2014 Q1 (PANSTARRS) displays its two tails as it traverses the Solar System.
Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/Alberto Ghizzi Panizza
Ceremony: Shenzhou-17 Crew Ready for Earth Return | China Space Station
The Shenzhou-17 astronauts handed over control of the Tiangong space station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-18 crew on Sunday, April 28, 2024, and are ready to return to Earth, said the China Manned Space Agency.
The three Shenzhou-17 astronauts have completed all set tasks for their six-month stay in space.
At around 15:00 (Beijing Time), the two crews held a handover ceremony, with Shenzhou-17 astronauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, and Shenzhou-18 astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu signing their names on handover confirmation documents.
"I hereby pass the hatch key symbolizing the baton to you. Starting from now, you officially take over the operation and management of the space station," said Tang, mission commander of the Shenzhou-17 crew.
"Alright. We, the crew of Shenzhou 18, will surely do our utmost to run our leg of this space relay of the Shenzhou family," said Ye, mission commander of the Shenzhou-18 crew.
The Shenzhou-17 crew are due to return to Earth on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, aboard the Shenzhou-17 spaceship.
The Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is now preparing for the return of Shenzhou-17 from space.
The Shenzhou-18 crew entered the space station in the early hours of Friday (Beijing Time).
Space Environment Simulation Laboratory | NASA's Johnson Space Center
This is Building 32, Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. After it was constructed in 1965, the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) tested all Apollo command and service modules, Apollo lunar modules, spacesuits for extra-vehicular activity, the Skylab/Apollo telescope mount system, Space Shuttle systems, the Apollo/Soyuz docking module and various large scale scientific satellite systems, such as the parabolic reflector subsystem of the Applications Technology Satellite. The thermal vacuum testing done at the SESL since 1965 has been a significant factor contributing to the success of both the crewed and uncrewed space program of the United States.
Johnson Space Center’s Chamber A is a 16.8 m (55 ft) diameter x 27.4 m (90 ft) high, thermal-vacuum test facility and is famous for testing the Apollo spacecraft, with and without the mission crew. Its usable test volume and high-fidelity space simulation capabilities are adaptable for thermal-vacuum testing of a wide variety of test articles, including entire space vehicles. Test articles are normally inserted into the chamber by means of a precision, mobile crane. The dual crew-locks, when configured for human testing, provide a means for the test crew to move from ambient air pressure to the thermal-vacuum environment and back. They also provide for the maintenance of rescue personnel at convenient intermediate pressures during crew test operations. When the inner door is bolted, either of the crew-locks can be used as an altitude chamber for independent tests.
Additional test support equipment includes mass spectrometers, infrared cameras and television cameras. The numerous flanges at all levels provide ample pass-throughs for electrical, instrumentation and gasses to support large systems.
Chamber A was upgraded to support the James Webb Space Telescope test program. Additions involved an ultra-clean hydrocarbon-free high vacuum pumping systems and the ability to simulate the extremely low temperatures of deep space (35K) within a 45 foot diameter by 80 foot tall shroud volume. The chamber systems are now able to maintain class 10,000 clean room conditions for ambient operations.
China Shenzhou-18 Rocket Liftoff: Multiple Views | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
China successfully sent a new crew of three astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-18 spaceship into orbit and to the China Space Station on the night of April 25, 2024. The China Media Group has released footage showing multiple angles of the moment the spaceship lifted off.
Shenzhou-18 is the seventh crew of three astronauts on a mission to the China Space Station.
In northern hemisphere spring, bright star Regulus is easy to spot above the eastern horizon. The alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus is the spiky star centered in this telescopic field of view. A mere 79 light-years distant, Regulus is a hot, rapidly spinning star that is known to be part of a multiple star system. Not quite lost in the glare, the fuzzy patch just below Regulus is diffuse starlight from small galaxy Leo I.
Leo I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, a member of the Local Group of galaxies dominated by our Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). About 800 thousand light-years away, Leo I is thought to be the most distant of the known small satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. But dwarf galaxy Leo I has shown evidence of a supermassive black hole at its center, comparable in mass to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
China Unveils Latest Progress on Moon Exploration Projects & Plans
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, revealed the latest developments in its lunar exploration projects at an event held in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, along with a preview of their plans ahead.
The unveiling of the concept video for the international lunar research base has generated great anticipation, showcasing the diverse range of functions of the base.
The project is envisioned as a comprehensive scientific experimental base capable of conducting interdisciplinary and multi-objective research activities focusing on lunar exploration and utilization. It will be capable of long-term independent operation, either on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit.
With the continuous accumulation of its deep space exploration technology and experience,China has developed research directions for deep space and international lunar scientific research stations.
"We were able to reach the moon in the past, but now our main focus is to conduct scientific experiments and exploration on its surface. We used to go to a certain point, but now we aim for extensive and in-depth exploration. Previously, government initiatives took the lead, but now there is a shift towards actively involving commercial space ventures under government guidance. Multiple countries are joining forces and collaborating to conduct exploration together," said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.
Wu further explained that the international lunar research base will be constructed in two phases. The first one aims to establish comprehensive scientific facilities with basic functions and essential supporting elements around the lunar south pole by 2035. The second phase plans to build a well-equipped and stable facility of considerable scale around the lunar orbital station by 2045.
"The moon serves as a starting point, and an international lunar research station will provide a platform for long-term scientific research, work and habitation, paving the way for future human exploration into deeper space. It will serve as a technological, material, and intellectual reservoir, preparing us for future missions to Mars and other distant destinations in space," said Wu.
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Astronauts Williams & Wilmore Arrive in Florida
NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) & Butch Wilmore (right)
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for photos during a news conference at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida following their arrival for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test on a Northrop T-38 Talon jet. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Williams and Wilmore are the first crew to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Liftoff for the International Space Station is currently scheduled for 10:34 p.m. ET on Monday, May 6.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.
Prelaunch Activities for Boeing Starliner Flight Test | This Week @NASA
Prelaunch activities for NASA's next commercial crew flight test to the International Space Station, celebrating our home planet for Earth Day, and conducting high-flying science during the recent solar eclipse . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!
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.
International Space Station Crew Prepares Science for SpaceX Dragon Departure
Your science is ready for delivery. 📦 NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick closes out the Dragon spacecraft in preparation for its scheduled departure in late April 2024. Dragon will return to Earth with samples and hardware from several experiments for further study.
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.
Russian Cosmonauts Oleg & Nikolai on Spacewalk | International Space Station
Cosmonauts Nikolai Chub (waving) and Oleg Kononenko of Russia are pictured outside of the International Space Station wearing their Orlan spacesuits during a four-hour and 36-minute spacewalk. During their excursion they worked on the Russian segment of the complex completing the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar communications system. The duo also installed equipment and experiments to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules.
Cosmonauts (near center) Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko of Russia are pictured outside of the International Space Station's Nauka science module wearing their Orlan spacesuits during a four-hour and 36-minute spacewalk. The spacewalkers worked on the Russian segment of the complex completing the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar communications system. The duo also installed equipment and experiments to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules. The space station was soaring into an orbital sunset 270 miles above the Indian Ocean south of Africa.
Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko (center left) and Nikolai Chub (center right) are pictured outside of the International Space Station wearing their Orlan spacesuits during a four-hour and 36-minute spacewalk. The spacewalkers worked on the Russian segment of the complex completing the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar communications system. The duo also installed equipment and experiments to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules.
Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia concluded their spacewalk April 25, 2024, at 3:33 p.m. EDT after four hours and 36 minutes. Kononenko is the current commander of the International Space Station.
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 International 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.
China is Building a Lunar Satellite Constellation | Dongfang Hour
As China ramps up its lunar exploration program in the coming decade, space-based lunar infrastructure is going to be a key enabler. Spacecraft and ground-based vehicles will increasingly need positioning and communication services. This is why China has launched a plan to establish a lunar satellite constellation called the "Queqiao constellation". The focus on the far side and the lunar south pole also means that communications will require relay satellites.
In preparation for this lunar constellation, expected in the 2030s, China has been launching single Queqiao spacecraft: the "Queqiao" in 2018, "Queqiao-2" in March 2024, and "Queqiao-3" by the end of the decade.
In this video, we cover this quest for lunar infrastructure, a low key, but essential milestone, for the establishment of China's future lunar outpost, the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
The Gulf of California & Baja California, Mexico | International Space Station
The Gulf of California and Baja California were photographed by NASA astronaut Mike Barratt as the International Space Station orbited nearly 260 miles above.
The Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortés (Mar de Cortés) or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (Mar Vermejo), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. It is bordered by the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, and Sinaloa with a coastline of approximately 4,000 km (2,500 mi).
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.
Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event Confirmed by U.S. Scientists | NOAA
The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years.
Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been—and continues to be—extensive across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. CRW's heat-stress monitoring is based on sea surface temperature data, spanning 1985 to the present, from a blend of NOAA and partner satellites.
Credits: NOAA, NASA, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)
Coral reef footage courtesy of NOAA Fisheries
Cheeca Rocks photos courtesy of Andrew Ibarra/NOAA
US Virgin Island Boulder Coral photos courtesy of Leslie Henderson/NOAA
NASA’s X-59 Supersonic Aircraft: The Quiet Crew | Profile of Pilot Jim Less
In this episode of The Quiet Crew, you will meet Jim "Clue" Less, a test pilot for the Quesst mission. His role is to fly the X-59 through the three phases of the mission and to contribute to the simulation and development of the aircraft. He is part of the crew working to transform aviation as NASA and communities verify that the X-59’s quiet, supersonic design can turn a sonic boom into a sonic thump. This new technology, along with a potential change in regulations, will allow airliners to fly faster over land, cutting passenger travel time in half without disturbing people on the ground.
For more information about NASA's quiet supersonic mission, visit:
NASA's Space to Ground: Outside the Hatch | Week of April 26, 2024
NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia 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.
Shenzhou-18 Astronauts Welcomed by Shenzhou-17 Crew | China Space Station
The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-18 spaceship have entered the country's space station and met with another astronaut trio on April 26, 2024, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover.
The Shenzhou-18 crew entered the Tianhe Core Module on April 26 at 05:04 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 (叶光富, commander)
Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)
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.
.jpg)
APoD.png)
.jpg)