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Axiom Thruster Vacuum Testing: "And the rockets’ (blue) glare!" | Axiom Space
Axiom Space’s Propulsion Team conducted a Thruster Vacuum Test—over 600 starts on the thruster with the longest continuous burn time at 3 minutes. This test validates design, function, and performance. Vacuum testing is important because it simulates the space environment the thruster will ultimately operate in.
"Axiom Space is building for beyond, guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, Axiom Space operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while developing its successor, Axiom Station—the world’s first commercial space station in low-Earth orbit, which will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home."
Shenzhou-18 Astronauts Complete Second Spacewalk | China Space Station
The Shenzhou-18 astronauts aboard China's orbiting space station completed their second spacewalk at 22:51 (Beijing Time) on Wednesday, July 4, 2024 according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu worked for about 6.5 hours to accomplish multiple tasks with Li Guangsu remaining inside the space station.
With the assistance of the space station's robotic arm and researchers on Earth, they installed space debris protection devices for the pipelines, as well as cables and key equipment outside the Tiangong space station, and conducted an extravehicular inspection.
At 16:19, Li Cong opened the hatch door of the Wentian space lab module and began his first spacewalk.
With the assistance of the space station's robotic arm, Li came to the operation point. Then Ye Guangfu transferred the relevant equipment and devices out of the space station and exited the capsule at 17:41.
Ye climbed to the operation point by himself, and cooperated with Li to install protection devices for the cables of the Wentian lab module and the pipelines of the Tianhe core module.
In the meantime, Li Guangsu carried out monitoring of the robotic arm and provided necessary support from inside the Tianhe core module.
"The main purpose of the spacewalk this time is to install protection devices for extravehicular equipment, mainly cables and pipelines, so as to improve the space station's ability to operate safely and steadily over the long term," said Liu Ming, an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
After installing protection devices, Li Cong mounted the robotic arm and conducted an extravehicular inspection of the space station's facilities through his helmet camera.
After completing the predetermined tasks, Ye Guangfu and Li Cong returned safely to the Wentian lab module.
"The Chinese space station is very beautiful. Whenever the robotic arm moves to the highest point, I can't help taking more glances at the space station despite the glaring sunlight. I really feel the greatness of the project from my heart, and I applaud all the space professionals and our motherland. We will make continuous efforts to successfully and efficiently complete the follow-up tasks to the end. Let's meet again inside the cabin," Li Cong said outside the space station.
In their previous spacewalk on May 28, the Shenzhou-18 trio mainly installed protection devices for the extravehicular cables of the Mengtian lab module.
The Shenzhou-18 crew, sent to the space on April 25 this year, have completed one third of their space journey and are scheduled to carry out a large amount of in-orbit scientific experiments and technological tests, the agency said.
"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."
Fourth SpaceX Starship Flight on June 6, 2024
SpaceX statement on the results:
On June 6, 2024, Starship successfully lifted off at 7:50 a.m. CT from Starbase in Texas and went on to deliver maximum excitement: The Super Heavy booster lifted off successfully and completed a full-duration ascent burn.
Starship executed another successful hot-stage separation, powering down all but three of Super Heavy’s Raptor engines and successfully igniting the six second stage Raptor engines before separating the vehicles.
Following separation, the Super Heavy booster successfully completed its flip maneuver, boostback burn to send it towards the splashdown zone, and jettison of the hot-stage adapter.
The booster’s flight ended with a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico seven minutes and 24 seconds into the flight.
Starship's six second stage Raptor engines successfully powered the vehicle to space and placed it on the planned trajectory for coast.
Starship made a controlled reentry, successfully making it through the phases of peak heating and max aerodynamic pressure and demonstrating the ability to control the vehicle using its flaps while descending through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.
Starlink on Starship once again enabled real-time telemetry and live high-definition video throughout every phase of entry, with external cameras providing views all the way to the flight’s conclusion.
Flight 4 ended with Starship igniting its three center Raptor engines and executing the first flip maneuver and landing burn since our suborbital campaign, followed by a soft splashdown of the ship in the Indian Ocean one hour and six minutes after launch.
The fourth flight of Starship made major strides to bring us closer to a rapidly reusable future. Its accomplishments will provide data to drive improvements as we continue rapidly developing Starship into a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an inspired fourth flight test of Starship! And thank you to our customers, Cameron County, spaceflight fans, and the wider community for the continued support and encouragement.
At NASA, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation and scientific discovery. Like the spirit of Independence Day, our mission is to strive to achieve new heights and forge a path forward in space exploration.
We wish you a safe and happy 4th of July!
Image Description: Astronaut Harrison Schmitt was the first scientist and geologist to visit the Moon. In this picture, astronaut Schmitt, Apollo 17 lunar module pilot, stands near the deployed United States flag on the lunar surface during extravehicular activity (EVA) of NASA's final lunar landing mission in the Apollo series. The Lunar Module (LM) is at left background and the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at right background (partially obscured). The photo was made by astronaut Eugene Cernan, commander. While astronauts Cernan and Schmitt descended in the LM "Challenger" to explore the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon, astronaut Ronald Evans, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "America" in lunar orbit. As he returned to the Lunar Module before Cernan, Schmitt is the next-to-last person to have walked on the Moon's surface. Since the death of Cernan in 2017, Schmitt is the most recent person to have walked on the Moon that is still alive.
Learn more about former NASA astronaut Harrison Schmitt:
NASA Astronauts Send Fourth of July Wishes from International Space Station
NASA astronauts Mike Barratt, Matt Dominick, Tracy C. Dyson, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams share a Fourth of July message and extend their best wishes to those back on Earth in a video recorded on June 28, 2024.
The crew members are currently living and working aboard the International Space Station. Their missions aim to advance scientific knowledge and test new technologies for future human and robotic missions to the Moon and Mars, including NASA's Artemis lunar missions.
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore
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:
Shenzhou-18 Astronauts Prepare for Second Spacewalk | China Space Station
The Shenzhou-18 crew members, currently on board China's orbiting Tiangong space station, have been preparing for their second extravehicular activities (EVAs), scheduled to occur in the next few days, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
In video footage released by the CMSA, the space station combination is now in a stable status with all equipment functioning well, and the Shenzhou-18 crew, also in good condition, was testing extravehicular spacesuits, preparing maintenance items and consumables, readying equipment and tools for operations outside the spacecraft, and installing the robotic arm console.
The trio also had in-orbit training on donning spacesuits, and carried out targeted training for EVAs, according to the CMSA.
The Shenzhou-18 crew was launched into space on April 25, 2024, as the third manned mission in the application and development stage of China's space station, and the 32nd flight mission of the country's overall crewed space program.
Since completing their first spacewalk on May 28, the crew has successfully completed tasks, including maintaining the experiment cabinets and installing components, monitoring environmental conditions inside the space station, and preparing for their second EVA, the CMSA said.
They have made steady progress in experiments in fields, such as space materials science, space life sciences, and aerospace medicine.
Hurricane Beryl in Caribbean Sea | International Space Station
Hurricane Beryl is pictured as a Category 4 storm off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea as the International Space Station orbited 262 miles above.
The eye of Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea, is pictured as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above.
Hurricane Beryl is pictured as a Category 4 storm off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea as the International Space Station orbited 262 miles above.
Hurricane Beryl is pictured as a Category 4 storm off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above.
Hurricane Beryl was pictured east of Barbados as a Category 3 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Beryl was pictured east of Barbados as a Category 3 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Beryl is now producing heavy rain, 145 mph winds and storm surge affecting the island country of Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea.
Visit the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) for updates:
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore
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:
Earth Observation from The International Space Station | NASA
Stunning images of Earth captured by crew members on the International Space Station are actively supporting life on our planet, helping monitor climate change, and advancing our understanding of Earth’s changing landscapes.
Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)
NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore
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:
Binary Star Eta Carinae—A Source of Very High-energy Cosmic Gamma Radiation
The binary star Eta Carinae may be about to explode. However, no one knows when. It may be next year. It may be a million years from now. Eta Carinae's mass—about 100 times greater than our Sun—makes it an excellent candidate for a full blown supernova. Historical records do show that about 170 years ago Eta Carinae underwent an unusual outburst that made it one of the brightest stars in the southern sky. This binary star in the Homunculus Nebula is located 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Carina. Eta Carinae is the only star system currently thought to emit natural LASER light.
With the gamma-ray telescopes of the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), astrophysicists have detected very high energy gamma rays from Eta Carinae. It constitutes a new type of source for such high-energy radiation. The DESY animation by Science Communication Lab takes you on an interstellar roadtrip to this extraordinary system.
Video Credit: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
NASA's "Espacio a Tierra" | Sentando las bases: 28 de junio 2024
Espacio a Tierra, la versión en español de las cápsulas Space to Ground de la NASA, te informa semanalmente de lo que está sucediendo en la Estación Espacial Internacional.
Global Atmospheric Methane (CH₄) | NASA Earth Observatory
Methane (CH₄) is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat 28 times more effectively than carbon dioxide over a 100-year timescale. Concentrations of methane have increased by more than 150% since industrial activities and intensive agriculture began. After carbon dioxide, methane is responsible for about 20% of climate change in the twentieth century. Methane is produced under conditions where little to no oxygen is available.
About 30% of methane emissions are produced by wetlands, including ponds, lakes and rivers. Another 20% is produced by agriculture, due to a combination of livestock, waste management and rice cultivation. Activities related to oil, gas, and coal extraction release an additional 30%. The remainder of methane emissions come from minor sources such as wildfires, biomass burning, permafrost, termites, dams, and the ocean.
Scientists around the world are working to better understand the budget of methane with the ultimate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving prediction of environmental change.
The NASA SVS visualization presented here shows the complex patterns of methane emissions produced around the globe and throughout the year from the different sources described above. The visualization was created using output from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO), GEOS modeling system, developed and maintained by scientists at NASA. Wetland emissions were estimated by the LPJ-wsl model, which simulates the temperature and moisture dependent methane emission processes using a variety of satellite data to determine what parts of the globe are covered by wetlands. Other methane emission sources come from inventories of human activity.
Video Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio
Shenzhou-18 Crew Continues Experiments for 2nd Month | China Space Station
The crew of the Shenzhou-18 mission has been continuously conducting experiments aboard China's Tiangong space station for the second month. The three Chinese astronauts, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, were sent to the orbiting Tiangong space station for a six-month mission on April 25, 2024.
The crew regularly maintained the combustion science laboratory cabinet by replacing burners, vacuuming and exhausting, and organizing related materials to better carry out the following experimental projects.
The combustion science laboratory cabinet has been used in experiments since the in-orbit ignition experiment in 2023. The facility is expected to contribute to scientific achievements in improving the fundamental theory of combustion and developing advanced combustion technology.
The crew recently installed slide positioning kits for the glovebox. The glovebox provides a sealed and clean space for crew members to manipulate objects in experiments.
The astronauts have also regularly replaced experimental samples, cleaned the chamber and maintained the axial mechanism electrodes for the containerless materials laboratory cabinet to ensure the stable and smooth operation of relevant experiments.
In addition, the crew also replaced samples in the fluid physics laboratory cabinet. The cabinet is used to conduct on-orbit microgravity experiments on the kinetic processes, diffusion processes, phase transitions and self-organization behavior of different fluid systems.
Stellar Nursery L1527 & Protostar in Taurus | James Webb Space Telescope
L1527, shown in this image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), is a molecular cloud that harbors a protostar. The protostar is a relatively young object of about 100,000 years. It resides about 460 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. The more diffuse blue light and the filamentary structures in the image come from organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while the red at the center of this image is an energized, thick layer of gases and dust that surrounds the protostar. The region in between, appearing in white, is a mixture of PAHs, ionized gas, and other molecules.
The effects of stellar outflows are visible. They are emitted in opposite directions along the protostar’s rotational axis as the object consumes gas and dust from the surrounding cloud. These outflows take the form of bow shocks to the surrounding molecular cloud. They appear as filamentary structures throughout. They are also responsible for carving the bright hourglass structure within the molecular cloud as they energize, or excite, the surrounding matter and cause the regions above and below it to glow. This creates an effect reminiscent of fireworks brightening a cloudy night sky.
As the protostar continues to age and release energetic jets, it will consume, destroy, and push away much of this molecular cloud, and many of the structures we see here will begin to fade. Eventually, once it finishes gathering mass, this impressive display will end, and the star itself will become more apparent, even to visible-light telescopes.
What's Up for July 2024 | Skywatching Tips from NASA
Here are examples of skywatching highlights for the northern hemisphere in July 2024:
The Moon and planets come together twice in the morning sky—at the start and end of July, find the elusive planet Uranus with some help from Mars, and two star clusters—M6 and M7—are well placed for viewing in the evening.
Planet Earth: Polar Ice Mass Loss | NASA GRACE Mission
The mass of the polar ice sheets have changed over the last decades. Research based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites (2002-2017) and GRACE Follow-On (since 2018-) indicates that between 2002 and 2023, Antarctica shed approximately 150 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.4 millimeters per year; and Greenland shed approximately 270 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.03 inches (0.8 millimeters) per year.
These images, created from GRACE and GRACE-FO data, show changes in polar land ice mass since 2002. Orange and red shades indicate areas that lost ice mass, while light blue shades indicate areas that gained ice mass. White indicates areas where there has been very little or no change in ice mass since 2002.
The average flow lines (grey; created from satellite radar interferometry) of the icesheets converge into the locations of prominent outlet glaciers, and coincide with areas of highest mass loss. This supports other observations that warming ocean waters near polar icesheets play a key role in contemporary ice mass loss.
The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) was a joint mission of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) that measured Earth's gravity field anomalies
Global Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) | NASA Earth Observatory
The visualization featured here shows the atmosphere in three dimensions and highlights the accumulation of CO₂ during a single calendar year (January 1-December 31, 2021). Every year, the world’s vegetation and oceans absorb about half of human CO₂ emissions, providing an incredibly valuable service that has mitigated the rate of accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, around 2.5 parts per million remain in the atmosphere every year causing a steady upward march in concentrations that scientists have tracked since the 1950s at surface stations.
NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory, 2 (OCO-2) provides the most complete dataset tracking the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main driver of climate change. Every day, OCO-2 measures sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface to infer the dry-air column-averaged CO₂ mixing ratio and provides around 100,000 cloud-free observations. Despite these advances, OCO-2 data contain many gaps where sunlight is not present or where clouds or aerosols are too thick to retrieve CO₂ data. In order to fill gaps and provide science and applications users a spatially complete product, OCO-2 data are assimilated into NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS), a complex modeling and data assimilation system used for studying the Earth’s weather and climate.
GEOS is also informed by satellite observations of nighttime lights and vegetation greenness along with about 1 million weather observations collected every hour. These data help scientists infer CO2 mixing ratios even when a direct OCO-2 observation is not present and provide additional information on the altitude of CO₂ plumes that the satellite is not able to see. Together, OCO-2 and GEOS create one of the most complete pictures of CO₂.
The volumetric visualization starts in January 1, 2021, showing the higher CO₂ concentrations, which are closer to the ground, revealing the seasonal movement of high CO₂ at a global scale. During the months of June-September (summer months for northern hemisphere), global CO₂ concentrations tend to be lowest because northern hemisphere plants actively absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere via photosynthesis. During northern hemisphere fall and winter months, much of this CO₂ is re-released to the atmosphere due to respiration and can be seen building up. By June and July 2021, plants again draw CO₂ out of the atmosphere, but notably higher concentrations remain in contrast to the nearly transparent colors of the previous year.
The diurnal rhythm of CO₂ is apparent over our planet's largest forests, such as the Amazon rainforest in South America and the Congo rainforest in Central Africa. The fast-paced pulse in those rainforests is due to the day-night cycle; plants absorb CO₂ during the day via photosynthesis when the sun is out, then stop absorbing CO₂ at night. In addition to highlighting the buildup of atmospheric CO₂, this visualization shows how interconnected the world’s greenhouse gas problem is. NASA’s unique combination of observations and models plays a critical role in helping scientists track increases in CO₂ as they happen to better understand their climate impact.
