The Moon & Earth Noctilucent Clouds | International Space Station

The Moon & Earth Noctilucent Clouds | International Space Station

Astronaut Matthew Dominick: "A sliver of Moon rises out of noctilucent clouds and appears to look towards the horizon awaiting the imminent sunrise."

Noctilucent clouds, or night shining clouds, are the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere, composed of tiny water ice crystals, and are only visible when the sun is below the planet's horizon illuminating them.

The Sun’s activity will once again ramp up until solar maximum, predicted for 2025. This high solar activity is warming Earth's upper atmosphere and breaking apart water molecules required to form noctilucent ices. However, for reasons researchers do not fully understand, Solar Max does not always extinguish the clouds. 

Technical details: 1/250s, f5.6, ISO 6400, 170mm (50 to 500mm  lens), cropped

Expedition 71 Updates: 

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

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/Astronaut Matthew Dominick

Release Date: July 6, 2024 

#NASA #Space #Moon #ISS #Earth #Atmosphere #NoctilucentClouds #NLC #Science #SpaceTechnology #SpaceLaboratory #Engineering #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #STEM #Education

Quasar RX J1131-1231: Distance 6 Billion Light-years | James Webb Space Telescope

Quasar RX J1131-1231: Distance 6 Billion Light-years | James Webb Space Telescope

This new James Webb Space Telescope image features the gravitational lensing of the quasar known as RX J1131-1231, located roughly 6 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Crater. It is considered one of the best lensed quasars discovered to date, as the foreground galaxy smears the image of the background quasar into a bright arc and creates four images of the object.

Image Description: A small image of a galaxy distorted by gravitational lensing into a dim ring. At the top of the ring are three very bright spots with diffraction spikes coming off them, right next to each other. These are copies of a single quasar in the lensed galaxy, duplicated by the gravitational lens. In the center of the ring, the elliptical galaxy doing the lensing appears as a small blue dot. The background is black and empty.

Gravitational lensing, first predicted by Einstein, offers a rare opportunity to study regions close to the black hole in distant quasars, by acting as a natural telescope and magnifying the light from these sources. All matter in the Universe warps the space around itself, with larger masses producing a more pronounced effect. Around very massive objects, such as galaxies, light that passes close by follows this warped space, appearing to bend away from its original path by a clearly visible amount. One of the consequential effects of gravitational lensing is that it can magnify distant astronomical objects, letting astronomers study objects that would otherwise be too faint or far away.

Measurements of the X-ray emission from quasars can provide an indication of how fast the central black hole is spinning. It can provide researchers important clues about how black holes grow over time. For example, if a black hole grows primarily from collisions and mergers between galaxies, it should accumulate material in a stable disc, and the steady supply of new material from the disc should lead to a rapidly spinning black hole. On the other hand, if the black hole grew through many small accretion episodes, it would accumulate material from random directions. Observations have indicated that the black hole in this particular quasar is spinning at over half the speed of light, which suggests that this black hole has grown via mergers, rather than pulling material in from different directions.

This image was captured with Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) as part of an observation program to study dark matter. Dark matter is an invisible form of matter that accounts for most of the Universe's mass. Webb’s observations of quasars are allowing astronomers to probe the nature of dark matter at smaller scales than ever before.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Nierenberg

Image Date: July 5, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Quasar #RXJ11311231 #GravitationalLensing #BlackHoles #DarkMatter #Astrophysics #Crater #Constellation #JamesWebb #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #MIRI #Cosmos #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Scientists Watch China's Historic Chang'e-6 Far Side Moon Sample Launch

Scientists Watch China's Historic Chang'e-6 Far Side Moon Sample Launch

China's Chang'e-6 mission returned samples from the Moon's far side south pole region for the first time on June 25, 2024 after landing in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It was a significant step in space exploration and in international cooperation. The mission carried scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan, including the French radon gas detector (CNES), the European Space Agency/Swedish ion analyzer, and the Italian laser corner reflector (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana). 

A Long March-5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 spacecraft, blasted off from its launchpad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on the coast of China's southern island province of Hainan on May 3, 2024. International scientists witnessed this historic event.

Among the observers, Stas Barabash, SSPT Program head at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, expressed his excitement.

"Definitely, it's probably one of the, I think, the most exciting launches I've ever seen in my life," said Barabash.

Pierre-Yves Meslin, DORN principal investigator at IRAP/CNRS, also expressed confidence in the mission.

Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, drew a cultural parallel.

"In India, when you get married and it rains, it's considered a blessing from the heavens. So, hopefully this was also a blessing to Chinese sixth," she said.

Christian Feichtinger, executive director of the International Astronautical Federation, shared his enthusiasm for the mission, emphasizing its significance.

"I'm excited and it's a great mission that brings back samples," he said.

Despite concerns about the weather, James Carpenter, acting head of the European Space Agency Lunar Science Office, expressed his confidence in the mission.

"I'm interested to see whether, despite the weather, we are going to go ahead anyway. I think, I think we are going to go ahead," said Carpenter.

Witnessing the successful launch, Neil Melville-Kenney, NILS technical officer at the European Space Agency, conveyed his excitement and offered congratulations.

"What beautiful weather we have. We can see the rocket go. We can hear the rocket go. We're close enough to feel the rocket go. What a fantastic launch! Congratulations!" he said.

Video Credit: CCTV Video News Agency

Duration: 1 minute, 38 seconds

Release Date: June 30, 2024

#NASA #UNOOSA #CNSA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #FarSide #SouthPole #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #InternationalCooperation #Wenchang #Hainan #History #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Saturn’s Moon Titan: Hydrocarbon Lakes & Seas Made Visible | NASA Cassini

Saturn’s Moon Titan: Hydrocarbon Lakes & Seas Made Visible | NASA Cassini

Titan - nIR+UV False Color - September 2, 2007

Titan - nIR+UV False Color - June 25, 2009

Titan - nIR+UV False Color - September 13, 2017

Titan - nIR+UV False Color - June 4, 2005

Titan - nIR+UV False Color - April 8, 2012

Titan is the only planetary body in our solar system, other than Earth, known to have stable liquid on its surface. However, instead of water raining down from clouds and filling lakes and seas as on Earth, on Titan it is methane and ethane—hydrocarbons that we think of as gases but that behave as liquids in Titan’s frigid climate. 

Scientists say it rains methane and ethane there, filling the lakes and seas. These liquids also carve meandering rivers and channels on Titan's surface. 

Titan is larger than the planet Mercury and is the second largest moon in our solar system. Titan’s subsurface water could be a place to harbor life as we know it, while its surface lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbons could conceivably harbor life that uses different chemistry than we are used to—that is, life as we do not yet know it. 

Titan's lower atmosphere contains carbon-based aerosols that produce haze. This generally blocks visible light, preventing us from seeing the moon's lakes and seas directly. Fortunately, Cassini's ultraviolet light, infrared, and radar instruments allowed this atmospheric layer to be penetrated.

The Cassini-Huygens mission was a cooperative project of NASA, European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter. The radar instrument was built by JPL and the Italian Space Agency, working with team members from the U.S. and several European countries.

Cassini Mission information:

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/cassini

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/CICLOPS

Processing: Kevin M. Gill

Image Dates: June 4, 2005-Sept. 13, 2017

Release Dates: July 1-5, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planet #Saturn #Moon #Titan #Atmosphere #Lakes #Seas #Hydrocarbons #Ultraviolet #Radar #Astrobiology #SolarSystem #CassiniMission #CassiniSpacecraft #JPL #Caltech #SSI #UnitedStates #ESA #Italy #Italia #ASI #Europe #STEM #Education

How Did The Planet Earth Form? | European Southern Observatory

How Did The Planet Earth Form? | European Southern Observatory

How did our Earth come to be? What conditions make it a hospitable world? Could similar habitable planets exist around other stars?

In this episode of Chasing Starlight, European Southern Observatory (ESO) astronomer Suzanna Randall gives us the secret recipe to bake an Earth, and shows us how ESO telescopes are revealing what is cooking around other stars.

1:03 Ingredients and how to combine them

3:51 Bake until crispy outside

4:45 Coat with an atmosphere and a magnetic field

6:16 Smash the cake

7:01 Experiment with other recipes

Video Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Duration: 8 minutes, 16 seconds

Release Date: July 5, 2024

#ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planet #Earth #Sun #SolarSystem #EuropeanSouthernObservatory #ChasingStarlight #Astronomer #SuzannaRandall #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Zooming in on a Stellar Nursery in Corona Australis | ESO

Zooming in on a Stellar Nursery in Corona Australis | ESO

In this zoom sequence, we start with a broad panorama of the central parts of Milky Way. As we close in on part of the small constellation of Corona Australis, we start to see faint clouds and in the final part of the video the full glory of the dramatic star formation region NGC 6729 is revealed in a new image from the FORS1 instrument on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT).

Distance: 400 light years

Video Credit: ESO/S. Brunier/Loke Kun Tan/Sergey Stepanenko

Duration: 56 seconds

Release Date: Nov. 27, 2015

#NASA #ESO #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #NGC6729 #Protostars #Stars #StellarNursery #CoronaAustralis #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #FORS1 #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up of Star-forming Region NGC 6729 in Corona Australis | ESO

Close-up of Star-forming Region NGC 6729 in Corona Australis | ESO

This very detailed enhanced-color image from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) shows the dramatic effects of very young stars on the dust and gas where they were born in star-forming region NGC 6729. The baby stars are invisible in this picture, being hidden behind dust clouds at the upper left of the picture, but material they are ejecting is crashing into the surroundings at speeds of that can be as high as one million kilometers per hour. This picture was taken by the FORS1 instrument and records the scene in the light of glowing hydrogen and sulphur.

Distance: 400 light years

Credit: ESO/Sergey Stepanenko

Release Date: March 16, 2011

#NASA #ESO #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #NGC6729 #Protostars #Stars #StellarNursery #CoronaAustralis #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #FORS1 #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

Ariane 6: Europe’s New Rocket | European Space Agency

Ariane 6: Europe’s New Rocket | European Space Agency

 

European Space Agency: "Ariane 6 is the newest rocket in a series that has, for five decades, been launching Europe towards the stars. Building on all the knowledge, expertise and technology developed over the years, Ariane 6 will be versatile, modular, and European."

"Guaranteeing Europe’s access to space for the next years, Ariane 6 in two versions, with either two or four boosters attached depending on the ‘oomph’ the mission requires. Versatile, its upper stage can reignite multiple times during a single flight, placing any spacecraft into any orbit—including constellations—saving a final boost to return and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Modular, it will be continuously adapted to the needs of the future space sector."

"Four organizations take care of the Ariane 6 program: The European Space Agency (ESA) at the head, ArianeGroup as the main contractor, CNES who designed and built the launchpad and ArianeSpace who sell the launches."

"Thirteen countries contribute, thousands of Europeans have worked on it, and every one of us will benefit from the Earth observation, science, technologies and services it will make possible."

Video Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)

Duration: 5 minutes

Release Date: July 5, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Europe #ArianeGroup #ArianeSpace #Ariane6 #Ariane6Rocket #Satellites #Launch #CNES #France #CommercialSpace #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #EarthObservation #Science #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's Space to Ground: Midpoint | Week of July 5, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground: Midpoint | Week of July 5, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. 

Expedition 71 Updates: 

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

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

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:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

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

Duration: 4 minutes, 39 seconds

Release Dates: July 5, 2024 

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SpaceTechnology #SpaceLaboratory #Engineering #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius

The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius

The beautiful Trifid Nebula is a cosmic study in contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about 5,000 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A star forming region in the plane of our galaxy, the Trifid does illustrate three different types of astronomical nebulae; red emission nebulae dominated by light from hydrogen atoms, blue reflection nebulae produced by dust reflecting starlight, and dark nebulae where dense dust clouds appear in silhouette. 

However, the red emission region, roughly separated into three parts by obscuring dust lanes, is what lends the Trifid its popular name. Pillars and jets sculpted by newborn stars, above and right of the emission nebula's center, appear in famous Hubble Space Telescope close-up images of the region. The Trifid Nebula is about 40 light-years across. Too faint to be seen by the unaided eye, it almost covers the area of a full Moon on planet Earth's sky.

Image Credit & Copyright: Jesús Carmona Guillén

Guillén's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/fotografia_jesuscarmona/

Release Date: July 4, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebula #TrifidNebula #Messier20 #M20 #NGC6514 #Sagittarius #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #Astrophotography #JesúsCarmonaGuillén #Astrophotographer #STEM #Education #APoD

Axiom Thruster Vacuum Testing: "And the rockets’ (blue) glare!" | Axiom Space

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." 

For more information about Axiom Space, visit www.axiomspace.com

Video Credit: Axiom Space

Duration: 22 seconds

Release Date: July 4, 2024

#NASA #Space #AxiomSpace #RocketEngines #HotFireTest #Thruster #VacuumTest #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #CommercialSpace #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-18 Astronauts Complete Second Spacewalk | China Space Station

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.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV Video News Agency

Duration: 4 minutes, 24 seconds

Release Date: July 4, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #EVA #Spacewalks #ScientificExperiments #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CASC #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Starship's Fourth Flight Test | SpaceX

Starship's Fourth Flight Test | SpaceX

"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.

Video Credit: SpaceX

Release Date: July 4, 2024

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

Happy 4th of July! | NASA

Happy 4th of July! | NASA

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:

https://www.nasa.gov/former-astronaut-harrison-schmitt/

Learn more about NASA's Apollo Program:

https://www.nasa.gov/the-apollo-program/

Learn about NASA's Artemis Program

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis/

Through Artemis, NASA "aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, heralding a new era for space exploration and utilization."

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Image Date: December 13, 1972

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #ApolloProgram #ArtemisProgram #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #Astronauts #Apollo17 #HarrisonSchmitt #Geologist #Scientist #UnitedStates #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #History #STEM #Education

NASA Astronauts Send Fourth of July Wishes from International Space Station

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.

Learn more about the International Space Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/

Expedition 71 Updates: 

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

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

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:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 2 minutes, 34 minutes

Release Date: July 3, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #SpaceTechnology #SpaceLaboratory #Engineering #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-18 Astronauts Prepare for Second Spacewalk | China Space 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.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV Video News Agency

Duration: 2 minutes, 16 seconds

Release Date: July 3, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #EVA #Spacewalks #ScientificExperiments #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video