Expedition 72 Crew: Launch Day in Kazakhstan | International Space Station

Expedition 72 Crew: Launch Day in Kazakhstan | International Space Station

Expedition 72 crew members: Roscosmos cosmonaut Ivan Vagner (Russia), top, NASA astronaut Don Pettit, middle, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia), wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft for launch, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 

NASA Associate Administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate, Ken Bowersox, left, and NASA International Space Station (ISS) Program Operations Integration Manager, Dina Contella, right, walk NASA astronaut Don Pettit to the Soyuz rocket for boarding, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The Soyuz rocket is seen on the launch pad at Site 31, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner of Russia, are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft later in the evening.

Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle with Soyuz MS-26 crewed spacecraft on Pad 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Bishop Ignatii of Kyzylorda and Aktobe, center, prepares to bless the Soyuz rocket as Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev of Russia, left, looks on, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome site 31 launch pad in Kazakhstan.

Bishop Ignatii of Kyzylorda and Aktobe blesses the Soyuz rocket, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome site 31 launch in Kazakhstan.

Bishop Ignatii of Kyzylorda and Aktobe blesses the Soyuz rocket, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome site 31 launch in Kazakhstan. 

NASA astronaut Don Pettit's Soyuz MS-26 spacesuit

NASA astronaut Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner of Russia, will launch aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft at 12:23 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 11. Following launch, the trio will take a short ride to the International Space Station and dock at 3:33 p.m. to the Rassvet module before opening the hatches and joining the Expedition 71 crew in orbit, where they will spend approximately six months living and working in space.

NASA Astronaut Donald R. Pettit Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/people/donald-r-pettit/

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/donald-r-pettit/

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, 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/Bill Ingalls

Image Dates: Sept. 8-10, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS26 #SoyuzCrewSpacecraft #Astronaut #DonPettit #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #AlexeiOvchinin #IvanVagner #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition72 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Zoom into The Coma Cluster: Dark Energy Survey | NOIRLab

Zoom into The Coma Cluster: Dark Energy Survey | NOIRLab

The Dark Energy Camera captured an image of the dazzling Coma Cluster, named after the hair of Queen Berenice II of Egypt. Not only significant in Greek mythology, this collection of galaxies was also fundamental to the discovery of the existence of dark matter. The theory emerged in 1937 when Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky noticed that the Coma Cluster galaxies behaved as if they were under the influence of vast amounts of unobservable ‘dark’ matter.

Learn about the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI):

https://www.desi.lbl.gov

https://noirlab.edu/public/projects/desi/

Credit: CTIO / NOIRLab / DOE / NSF / AURA / R. Proctor N. Bartmann, D. de Martin & M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #GalaxyClusters #ComaCluster #ACO1656 #DarkMatter #DarkEnergy #Astrophysics #ComaBerenices #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #MayallTelescope #KPNO #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #KittPeak #Arizona #DOE #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Expedition 72 Crew Ready for Kazakhstan Launch | International Space Station

Expedition 72 Crew Ready for Kazakhstan Launch | International Space Station 

Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, left, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner, right, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on September 11.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner

Roscosmos cosmonaut Ivan Vagner is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner

Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner after arriving at Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

This is the official insignia of the Expedition 72 crew that will live and work aboard the International Space Station for a six-month space research mission. The simple patch design highlights the configuration of the orbital laboratory with its six roll-out solar arrays augmenting the station's power generation system.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner of Russia, will launch aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft at 12:23 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 11. Following launch, the trio will take a short ride to the station and dock at 3:33 p.m. to the Rassvet module before opening the hatches and joining the Expedition 71 crew in orbit, where they will spend approximately six months living and working in space.

NASA Astronaut Donald R. Pettit Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/people/donald-r-pettit/

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/donald-r-pettit/

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, 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/Bill Ingalls

Image Dates: Aug. 26-Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS26 #SoyuzCrewSpacecraft #Astronaut #DonPettit #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #AlexeiOvchinin #IvanVagner #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition72 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Boeing's Uncrewed Starliner Departs | International Space Station

Boeing's Uncrewed Starliner Departs | International Space Station

Boeing's uncrewed Starliner spaceraft backs away from the International Space Station moments after undocking from the Harmony module's forward port. Starliner would safely parachute to a landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico less than six hours later.

Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT)

https://www.boeing.com/space/starliner/launch/index.html

Through the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), NASA is working with business partners to build rockets and spacecraft. The Commercial Crew Program has made it possible for astronauts to launch to space from the United States once again.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: 

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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, Suni Williams, 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)

Image Date: Sept. 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Earth #Boeing #Starliner #CST100 #CrewSpacecraft #CrewFlightTest #CommercialSpace #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #SpaceLaboratory #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition71 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

A Tribute to NASA Apollo Astronaut & Moonwalker Charlie Duke

A Tribute to NASA Apollo Astronaut & Moonwalker Charlie Duke

Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., Apollo 16 lunar module pilot, salutes the United States flag during the mission's first extravehicular activity (EVA), on April 21, 1972. Stone Mountain reaches five-sixths across the photo in background. The Lunar Module (LM) and Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) are in the background. While John W. Young, commander and Duke descended in the LM to explore the Descartes region of the moon, Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed collecting lunar samples at Station No. 1, during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA), at the Descartes landing site. This picture, looking eastward, was taken by astronaut John W. Young, commander. Duke is standing at the rim of Plum Crater. The parked Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) can be seen in the left background. 

Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr. works at the front of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) parked in this rock field at a North Ray Crater geological site during the mission's third extravehicular activity (EVA) on April 23, 1972. Astronaut John W. Young took this picture with a 70mm Hasselblad camera. 

Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, performs an extravehicular activity (EVA) during the Apollo 16 trans-Earth coast. Mattingly is assisted by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. Mattingly inspected the SIM Bay or Service Module (SM), and retrieved film from the Mapping and Panoramic Cameras. Mattingly is wearing the helmet of astronaut John W. Young, commander. The helmet's lunar EVA visor assembly helped protect Mattingly's eyes from the bright sun. This view is a frame from motion picture film exposed by a 16mm Maurer camera.

Astronaut Charles M. Duke, Jr. - Official NASA Portrait

These three astronauts were selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the prime crew men of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. They were, left to right, Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

The Apollo 16 crew patch is dominated by an eagle perched atop a red, white and blue shield a superimposed on a lunar scene, surrounded by a blue circle of 16 stars with the crew's surnames completing the bottom are of the circle. Across the face of the shield is a gold symbol of flight outlined in blue, similar to that on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency seal and insignia. The design was created by a NASA artist from ideas submitted by the three crew men: astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot.

For the sixth crewed lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 Saturn V rocket, carrying three astronauts: Mission commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon's crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph. It photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle was also used. The mission ended on April 27, 1972.

Charles M. Duke, Jr., was selected to join NASA’s fifth astronaut group in April 1966. He served as the spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for the Apollo 11 Moon landing and as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 16 in April 1972. He was the tenth and youngest person to walk on the surface of the Moon.

NASA Apollo Astronaut Charlie Duke Biography: 

https://www.nasa.gov/former-astronaut-charles-m-duke-jr/

Apollo 16 Moon Landing Mission: April 16-27, 1972

Apollo 16 Crew: NASA astronauts John W. Young, Charles M. Duke Jr., Thomas K. Mattingly II

Apollo 16 was the tenth crewed mission in the United States Apollo space program. It was the second of Apollo's "J missions" with an extended stay on the lunar surface, a focus on science, and the use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The landing and exploration were in the Descartes Highlands, a site chosen because scientists expected it to be an area formed by volcanic action, although this proved not to be the case. The Descartes Highlands is an area of lunar highlands located on the near side. It is located in the area surrounding Descartes crater, after which the feature received its name. Descartes is a heavily worn lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It is named after the French philosopher, mathematician and physicist René Descartes.

Three primary objectives of the Apollo 16 mission were (1) to inspect, survey, and sample materials and surface features at a selected landing site in the Descartes region; (2) emplace and activate surface experiments; and (3) conduct in-flight experiments and photographic tasks from lunar orbit. Additional objectives included performance of experiments requiring zero gravity and engineering evaluation of spacecraft and equipment.

Learn more about Apollo 16 Moon Mission: 

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/apollo-16/

Image Credits: NASA/JSC/KSC

Image Dates: Jan. 1, 1971-April 25, 1972

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ApolloProgram #Apollo16 #Moon #Astronauts #JohnYoung #CharlesDuke #ThomasMattingly #EVA #Geology #LunarHighlands #DescartesHighlands #DescartesCrater #UnitedStates #History #STEM #Education

NASA "Espacio a Tierra" | El camino por delante: 06 de septiembre de 2024

NASA "Espacio a Tierra" | El camino por delante: 06 de septiembre de 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.

Aprende más sobre la ciencia a bordo de la estación espacial: https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/space-station-research-and-technology/ciencia-en-la-estacion/

Para obtener más información sobre la ciencia de la NASA, suscríbete al boletín semanal: 

https://www.nasa.gov/suscribete

Ciencia de la NASA: https://ciencia.nasa.gov

Video Credit: NASA en Español

Duration: 4 minutes, 21 seconds

Release Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #NASAenespañol #español #Boeing #Starliner #CST100 #CrewSpacecraft #CommercialCrewProgram #CCP #Astronauts #UnitedStates #SpaceLaboratory #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Crew Meets NASA Apollo 16 Astronaut & Moonwalker Charlie Duke

Polaris Dawn Crew Meets NASA Apollo 16 Astronaut & Moonwalker Charlie Duke

The Polaris Dawn crew recently sat down with Apollo 16 astronaut and moonwalker Charlie Duke to talk about their missions and respective spacewalks at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

NASA Apollo Astronaut Charlie Duke Biography: 

https://www.nasa.gov/former-astronaut-charles-m-duke-jr/

Apollo 16 Moon Landing Mission: April 16-27, 1972

Three primary objectives of the Apollo 16 mission were (1) to inspect, survey, and sample materials and surface features at a selected landing site in the Descartes region; (2) emplace and activate surface experiments; and (3) conduct in-flight experiments and photographic tasks from lunar orbit. Additional objectives included performance of experiments requiring zero gravity and engineering evaluation of spacecraft and equipment.

Learn more about Apollo 16 Moon Mission: 

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/apollo-16/

Crew: NASA astronauts John W. Young, Charles M. Duke Jr., Thomas K. Mattingly II

SpaceX successfully launched the Polaris Dawn crew on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on Merritt Island, Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn will travel to an altitude of 1,400 km, attempt the first commercial spacewalk from Dragon, test Starlink-laser based communications, and conduct a wide range of research in microgravity before returning to Earth and splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: SpaceX/Polaris Program

Image Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Moon #Astronauts #Apollo16 #CharlesDuke #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Crew Suit-up Prelaunch | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Crew Suit-up Prelaunch | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

The Polaris Dawn Crew

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

SpaceX successfully launched the Polaris Dawn crew on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on Merritt Island, Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn will travel to an altitude of 1,400 km, attempt the first commercial spacewalk from Dragon, test Starlink-laser based communications, and conduct a wide range of research in microgravity before returning to Earth and splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: SpaceX/Polaris Program

Image Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Launch of Polaris Dawn Crew on SpaceX Falcon 9 & Dragon | NASA Kennedy

Launch of Polaris Dawn Crew on SpaceX Falcon 9 & Dragon | NASA Kennedy 

    

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon separates from Falcon 9's second stage

SpaceX successfully launched the Polaris Dawn crew on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on Merritt Island, Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn will travel to an altitude of 1,400 km, attempt the first commercial spacewalk from Dragon, test Starlink-laser based communications, and conduct a wide range of research in microgravity before returning to Earth and splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: SpaceX/Polaris Program

Image Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Crew Launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA Kennedy

Polaris Dawn Crew Launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA Kennedy

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist (left) and Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer (right)

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot (left) and Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander (right)   

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

The Polaris Dawn Crew

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist (left) and Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer (right)

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander (right) and Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot (left)

SpaceX successfully launched the Polaris Dawn crew on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on Merritt Island, Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn will travel to an altitude of 1,400 km, attempt the first commercial spacewalk from Dragon, test Starlink-laser based communications, and conduct a wide range of research in microgravity before returning to Earth and splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: SpaceX/Polaris Program

Image Date: Sept. 10, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Crew Prepare for SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch | NASA Kennedy

Polaris Dawn Crew Prepare for SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch | NASA Kennedy

Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft

Good L-8 hour weather brief | From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Polaris Dawn Mission Profile

Polaris Dawn Mission Patch

SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 at 3:38 a.m. ET for launch of the Polaris Dawn Mission on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) in Merritt Island, Florida.

Polaris Dawn will travel to an altitude of 1,400 km, attempt the first commercial spacewalk from Dragon, test Starlink-laser based communications, and conduct a wide range of research in microgravity before returning to Earth and splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: SpaceX / Polaris Program / John Kraus

Image Dates: Sept. 9-10, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

'Storytime' Moon above Earth | International Space Station

'Storytime' Moon above Earth | International Space Station

The Moon begins setting above Earth's bright, colorful atmosphere in this long-duration photograph taken by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick with a camera programmed for high sensitivity 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, Suni Williams, 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)/M. Dominick

Image Date: Sept. 4, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Stars #Sun #Moon #Moonset #Planet #Earth #Atmosphere #SolarSystem #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #SpaceLaboratory #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition71 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Expedition 72 Crew Prepares for Kazakhstan Launch | International Space Station

Expedition 72 Crew Prepares for Kazakhstan Launch | International Space Station

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-26 prime and backup crews have completed final pre-flight training for the scheduled launch Sept. 11, 2024, of NASA’s Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner of Russia on the start of a planned six-month mission to the International Space Station. The training activities that took place August 26 to September 8, includes the rollout of the Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle to its launch pad in Baikonur Sept. 8.

NASA Astronaut Donald R. Pettit Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/people/donald-r-pettit/

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/donald-r-pettit/

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.

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

Duration: 22 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 9, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #BaikonurCosmodrome #Kazakhstan #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS26 #SoyuzCrewSpacecraft #Astronaut #DonPettit #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #AlexeiOvchinin #IvanVagner #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition72 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video